Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul, CP3, has officially announced that he will retire at the end of this season, confirming on social media that his 21st NBA campaign will be his last, and further reported by ESPN. The 12-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer shared the news before the Clippers face the Charlotte Hornets in his home state of North Carolina, calling this year his final ride.
Chris Paul Confirms This Season Will Be His Last in the NBA
Paul revealed his decision in a social media post on Saturday morning, writing, “What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!” as he framed the 2025-26 campaign as his farewell tour. The Clippers are in Charlotte to play the Hornets, the franchise that originally drafted Paul No. 4 overall in 2005, adding an extra layer of symmetry to the announcement.
Paul broke the news in an emotional Instagram video, using audio from his 2005 draft night and Jay-Z’s “I Did It My Way” playing over career highlights to frame this season as his final ride. The clip ended with a final message: “Never Delay Gratitude.”
NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the 40-year-old guard, now in his second stint with the Clippers, will walk away when this season ends, closing a 21-year run that cemented him as one of the greatest point guards in league history.
Paul returned to Los Angeles on a one-year deal for what was already framed as a potential final push, rejoining the franchise where he became the face of the “Lob City” era and helped turn the Clippers into a perennial playoff team.
His announcement makes it clear: whether the Clippers make a deep postseason run or not, this will be his last season as an NBA player.
What Chris Paul’s Retirement Means for the Clippers & His Legacy
For the Clippers, Paul’s decision locks in his role as veteran stabilizer and locker-room voice on a roster built around Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Bradley Beal, before an injury cut his season hort. Even in a reduced on-court role, Paul gives Los Angeles a trusted late-game ball-handler and decision-maker as the team chases its first trip to the NBA Finals.
The bigger story, though, is what this means for his all-time standing. Paul is a 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection and nine-time All-Defensive pick who was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. He has piled up more than 23,000 career points and 12,000 assists across over 1,300 regular-season games, ranking second all-time in both assists and steals behind John Stockton.
Even without a championship ring, Paul’s resume puts him in the automatic Hall of Fame category. He was the engine of the Clippers’ rise in the 2010s, the leader of a Phoenix Suns team that reached the 2021 NBA Finals and a consistent All-Star presence across stops with the New Orleans/Charlotte Hornets, Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Suns, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and now again Los Angeles.
His retirement will also close the book on one of the league’s defining point guard rivalries and eras. Alongside contemporaries like Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard, Paul helped remake the position, blending old-school floor general skills with elite scoring and pick-and-roll mastery.
Stats, Schedule & Context for Chris Paul’s Final Season
Paul’s 21st season has been about leadership as much as production, with the veteran handling reserve duties for a Clippers team that has gone all-in on experience and star power.
- Career length: 21 NBA seasons, drafted No. 4 overall in 2005 by the then-New Orleans Hornets.
- Career totals (regular season): Over 23,000 points, nearly 6,000 rebounds and more than 12,000 assists in more than 1,350 games.
- Accolades: 12× All-Star, 11× All-NBA, 9× All-Defense, 2006 Rookie of the Year, member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
- All-time rankings: Second all-time in assists and steals behind John Stockton.
- Original franchise: Drafted and debuted with the Hornets, making November 22’s matchup in Charlotte a full-circle moment.
Paul’s farewell season will now be watched through a different lens. Every road stop, every Hornets reunion moment and every pick-and-roll in Los Angeles doubles as a final look at one of the greatest floor generals the NBA has ever seen.
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