LeBron James and Stephen Curry Lead Tributes to Chris Paul After Ending 21-Season Career

12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul called time on his stellar career after being waived by the Toronto Raptors.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry Lead Tributes to Chris Paul After Ending 21-Season Career

Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and LeBron James (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Chris Paul announced his retirement after a 21-season NBA career.
  • LeBron James and Stephen Curry led tributes to Paul, highlighting his impact on the game.
  • Paul's final season ended controversially with the Clippers releasing him before he joined the Raptors.

Before the start of this season, the tears Chris Paul shed when he realized how much Los Angeles Clippers fans still loved him were one of the moments of this season.

Everyone realized how important it was for the ‘Point God’ to finish his career with the franchise he helped rebuild into a playoff regular, and with friends and family in the building.

However, that dream took a major turn when Clippers’ President Lawrence Frank flew to Atlanta to inform Paul of their decision to release him, that too at 3 AM in the morning.

He was suddenly left without a team, and it was clear that the 40-year-old was either going to retire with another team or would be left with no choice but to hang up his sneakers as a free agent.

This is it! After over 21 years, I’m stepping away from basketball.

Chris Paul wrote on IG

This was the 12-time All-Star’s post after the Toronto Raptors waived him. They had traded for him on February 4th, but it seems neither party wanted to continue with this arrangement.

Chris Paul probably did not want to go through the ordeal of playing in another country, far away from his family and friends, and instead felt it was better to hang it up.

LeBron James and fellow NBA stars congratulate Chris Paul on stellar career

Many are still furious with the Los Angeles Clippers for the way they handled Chris Paul’s final season in the NBA. However, the veteran had no regrets about how the final days of his career transpired.

Knowing what he has given to the game, close friend and Banana Boat Crew member LeBron James led the tributes, which included many NBA players, current and former, as well as Naomi Osaka and Lindsey Vonn. Examples of those reactions are below.

Klay Thompson, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade
Klay Thompson, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade (Image via SS/IG)
Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn (Image via SS/IG)
Naomi Osaka, Nina Westbrook, Trae Young, and Bradley Beal
Naomi Osaka, Nina Westbrook, Trae Young, and Bradley Beal (Image via SS/IG)
Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry (Image via SS/IG)
Sophie Cunningham, Al Horford
Sophie Cunningham, Al Horford (Image via SS/IG)
Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell (Image via SS/IG)
Tyrese Maxey
Tyrese Maxey (Image via SS/IG)
Richard Jefferson
Richard Jefferson (Image via SS/IG)

Chris Paul is a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team and is widely considered to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. His career will be immortalized at some stage in the future, and many of his friends will likely be in attendance.

He would have liked to finish his career with the ball in his hands and on his favorite team, but fate chose otherwise, and Paul walks away from the game as one of the best ever to do it.

Stephen Curry sends video message to former teammate Chris Paul

Among those superstars and greats of the game who led the tributes to Chris Paul, not many can claim to have been the point guard’s teammate. But a certain Stephen Curry, who turned from rival to teammate, had this message:

Stephen Curry and Chris Paul
Stephen Curry and Chris Paul (Image via NBA Central/X)

Aye, CP, just want to say congratulations, man, on an unbelievable career. 21 amazing years, a lot of battles against you, but a great year playing with you. So, enjoy retirement, and I’mma see you around the golf course and everywhere. Congratulations, man, beyond well-deserved.

Stephen Curry said via video

This video was posted on the Golden State Warriors’ official social media page, proving what they felt about their former point guard. Even though they could not help Chris Paul win a championship before calling it quits, the time spent was worth it.

Also Read: