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Chris Paul announces his official retirement from the NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder may have just been crowned champions of the 2024–25 season, but the NBA never slows down—even during the offseason. In that context, it has been confirmed that Chris Paul is entering his final season in the NBA after a 20-year career.

The 40-year-old point guard, the second all-time leader in assists in league history with 12,499, has decided that now is the right time to say goodbye to the sport he’s played professionally since 2005, when the New Orleans Hornets gave him the opportunity to make his mark in the best basketball league in the world.

Chris Paul confirms this will be his last NBA season

“One more year at most, you know? I just finished my 20th season, which is a blessing in itself,” Paul said when asked how much longer he planned to play professionally. He made it clear that he doesn’t intend to keep playing beyond the end of next season, no matter what happens.

Paul’s career was filled with glorious moments, accolades, and praise, but one thing eluded him: an NBA championship. Incredibly, despite playing on some of the best teams of his era, he was never able to capture the elusive title. In addition to the Hornets, he played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors before arriving at the San Antonio Spurs.

Chris Paul will bring his NBA career to an end after competing for 20 years. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Spurs may have Victor Wembanyama as their centerpiece, but Paul has played a key role in the development of the young French star and the team overall. At one point, there was speculation about a potential move to bring Kevin Durant to San Antonio—an ideal scenario for Paul’s long-standing dream of winning a championship—but that never came to pass. Now, CP3 will play the final season of his career with the goal of giving it his all, fully aware that the dream of finally being crowned champion is far out of reach.

On the international stage, Paul won gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, as well as a bronze at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Individually, he was selected to play in the All-Star Game 12 times, led the league in assists in seven different seasons, and was the steals leader in five separate campaigns. A true legend in every sense of the word.