Chris Paul Announces Retirement After 21-Year NBA Career with Los Angeles Clippers

At 40 years old, with one final season left to play, Chris Paul has quietly ended one of the most decorated careers in NBA history — not with a roar, but with a smile. On November 22, 2025, while the Los Angeles Clippers were in Charlotte, North Carolina to face the Charlotte Hornets, Paul posted a heartfelt video montage on social media: 'Back in NC!!! What a ride… Still so much left… GRATEFUL for this last one!!' The message, simple and raw, confirmed what insiders had quietly suspected: Paul, the 12-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA guard, would retire at the end of the 2025-26 season. His 21-year journey, which began when he was picked fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in 2005, is now entering its final chapter.

A Career Built on Precision, Not Parades

He never won a ring. That sentence still echoes through NBA debates. But ask anyone who watched him closely — and they’ll tell you, he won more than most.

Paul’s career was defined by control. Not flash. Not dunks. Not viral highlights. He won with passing lanes only he could see, with steals that turned fast breaks into poetry, with mid-range jumpers that fell like metronomes. Between his first All-Star nod in 2008 and his last in 2022, Paul won 65% of clutch games — more than LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry. That’s not a fluke. That’s mastery.

He played for seven franchises, but his identity was forged in Los Angeles Clippers during the 'Lob City' era. Alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, he turned a laughingstock franchise into a playoff threat. Three straight seasons averaging 19 points, 10 assists, and 2 steals? That’s not just elite — it’s historic.

The Last Chapter: A Return, and a Reality Check

After a brief, under-the-radar stint with the San Antonio Spurs in 2024-25 — where he chose playing time over contention, signing a $11 million deal just to stay on the court — Paul returned to the Clippers on a $3.6 million contract in July 2025. A sentimental homecoming? Maybe. But the reality was brutal.

By November 22, 2025, he’d played in just 10 of 15 games. Averaged 13 minutes. Scored 2.0 points per game. The Clippers, once a contender, were 4-11 — the league’s worst record. He started three times. Often, he was the last player off the bench. Still, he stayed. Not for stats. Not for glory. For the game.

He didn’t need to play 30 minutes to matter. He showed up. He coached. He led. He reminded younger players how to prepare, how to read defenses, how to turn a turnover into a three-point play. That’s the kind of legacy that doesn’t show up in box scores.

Why He’ll Be Remembered Beyond the Championship

The 2021 NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns was his closest shot. Down 2-1, he carried the team to Game 6. Then came Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 50-point masterpiece. The Suns lost. Paul cried on the bench. The moment was heartbreaking — but it didn’t define him.

He’s a 9-time All-Defensive selection. Rookie of the Year. Member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. A man who played 1,344 regular-season games — 4th most among active players at retirement. He led the league in assists five times. He’s the all-time leader in steals per game among players with 500+ games played.

Ashley Nicole Moss, CBS Sports HQ analyst, put it best during a live broadcast the moment Paul’s announcement dropped: 'He’s the reason why point guards today don’t just pass — they orchestrate. He didn’t need a ring to be great. He needed to be the best version of himself — and he was.'

What Comes Next? A Legacy That Won’t Fade

Paul’s final game — likely in April 2026 at Crypto.com Arena — will be emotional. There won’t be a parade. But there will be standing ovations. From fans. From opponents. From legends who watched him play.

He’ll likely join the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. There’s no debate. His stats, his leadership, his longevity — they’re undeniable. The NBA will retire his jersey. Somewhere. Maybe both in Los Angeles and Phoenix.

And maybe — just maybe — he’ll coach. Or run a front office. Or mentor the next generation of guards who want to play the game the right way.

From Winston-Salem to the Hall

Born May 6, 1985, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Paul played high school ball at West Forsyth before transferring to Wake Forest University. There, he became just the sixth NCAA player ever to hit 1,000 points, 500 assists, 200 steals, and 150 threes. A prodigy. A student of the game. A quiet force.

His retirement doesn’t mark the end of basketball’s golden era — but it does close one of its most consistent chapters. He didn’t need a championship to be great. He just needed to be Chris Paul.