Chris Paul’s Top 5 NBA Moments!

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season, his 21st season in the league.

He is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.

Paul said on his social media post, expressing gratitude for what he has given to the game of basketball, “What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!”

Back in NC!!! What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!! 🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/1ZaJSqsWRD

— Chris Paul (@CP3) November 22, 2025

Here are the top five moments that have defined Paul’s NBA career.

1. Paul’s Longevity 

Throughout his 21-year career, Paul had a career filled with many memorable moments. He also helped mentor young and up-and-coming stars in the NBA for the seven teams he played for, such as Stephen Curry, Stephon Castle, and Shai Gligeous-Alexander.

He also appeared and started in 149 career playoff games for five different teams, recently with the Phoenix Suns in 2023.

Even though he missed some games due to injuries during his career, Paul found a way to extend his career to 21 seasons with the help of a vegan diet in 2019. Being available and leading his team for so long is what he’ll be remembered for.

2. Phoenix Suns’ 2021 NBA Finals Run

The closest Paul has come to winning an NBA championship ring came in 2020-21 with the Phoenix Suns, who had a young core of Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, and Cam Johnson.

In that offseason, the Suns acquired Paul and Abdel Nader in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he spent a season mentoring future MVP Shai Gligeous-Alexander.

Thanks in part to Paul’s contributions and leadership, Phoenix ended a playoff drought of 11 consecutive years.

that time Chris Paul shot 14/14 in a game 6 pic.twitter.com/S4t2myuwwg

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) November 22, 2025

He made his second appearance in the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers, the team he played for, for six seasons. the Wake Forest product ad an all-time performance in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against his former team, tying his playoff career high of 41 points as the Phoenix Suns advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.  

The Suns lost the series in six games to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks after blowing a 2-0 lead. Despite the heartbreaking ending, Phoenix witnessed an unexpected run to the NBA Finals and it brought the city together. 

In 2021-22, Paul helped the Suns win a franchise record 64 games and earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. In the first round series-clinching game against the New Orleans Pelicans, he went 14-for-14 from the field and scored 33 points. The Suns, however were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in seven games.

As memorable as some of those moments were in 2021 and 2022, Phoenix’s collapse game 7 will also be one of the moments fans remember about Paul’s career.

3. Lob City Clippers Era With Blake Griffin

To this day, fans alway wonder what if the late David Stern did not veto the trade in 2011 where Paul would play on the Los Angeles Lakers alongside the late Kobe Bryant.

Instead, Paul ended up with the other team in Los Angeles, the Clippers. He paired up with Blake Griffin, the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, and helped make the team legit championship contenders.

Lob city was truly a sight to see 🔥🔥
pic.twitter.com/8x025LgreZ

— Hoops (@Hoopss) November 23, 2025

The Lob City era lasted for six seasons, as the Clippers played an entertaining brand of ball and advanced to the playoffs every year. The Lob City era came to an end when Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets to pair up with James Harden in the summer of 2017. With Paul leading the way, it was a memorable time for Clippers fans.

4. Paul’s Impressive Resume

Paul’s raw numbers are impressive and memorable. He’s recorded 23,032 points, 12,532 assists, the second-most all-time, only trailing Hall of Famer John Stockton, and 6,000 rebounds in his career.

His extensive resume includes 12 appearances in the NBA All-Star Game, 11 all-NBA First, Second, or Third team honors and nine NBA All-Defensive selections. Paul also led the NBA in assists five times and steals six times, and is a two-time Olympic Gold medalist (2008 and 2012).

He was named the NBA All-Star Most Valuable Player in 2013 after leading the Western Conference to a win. He had a memorable double-double of 20 points, 16 assists, and four rebounds.

Paul became the first player in NBA History to record 20,000 points and 10,000 assists and was named to the league’s 75th anniversary team in 2021.

His greatness can’t be denied.

5. Paul’s Circus Shot vs The Memphis Grizzlies

In Game 2 of the 2013 NBA Playoff first-round series between the Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies, Paul drilled a circus shot to hand the Clippers the win and 2-0 series lead.

Fans in attendance witnessed his clutch moment inside Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) and it signified optimism to bring home a championship for the Clippers faithful. 

After that moment, the Grizzlies won the next four games of the best-of-7 first-round series.

Although he came up short of a NBA title, Paul was a special player in the NBA for a long time and has plenty to be proud of. His next destination will be the Naismith Hall of Fame.