Chris Paul
Hornets Prime (2008-09) · 2008–2009
Paul's elite Playmaking (97) and elite Ball Security (92) define this era.
Trophy Case
2006
Averaged 16.1/5.1/7.8 — immediately one of the best PGs in the league
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023
12 selections — 'The Point God' across multiple franchises
2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
4 selections — the 'Point God' ran the league's best offenses
2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
6 titles — the most in NBA history
2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2022
5 titles — 'The Point God' orchestrated the best offenses
The Story
The Point God
Chris Paul has led the league in assists five times and steals six times. He turned every franchise he joined into a contender: the Hornets, Clippers, Rockets, Thunder, and Suns all had their best seasons with CP3 running the show. His floor game is surgical — he sees passes two moves ahead, controls pace like a metronome, and commits fewer turnovers than any elite playmaker in history. He has the most assists of any active player and a career assist-to-turnover ratio that borders on inhuman.
The Best to Never Win It
CP3 is the greatest point guard to never win a championship. The 2018 Rockets were up 3-2 on the Warriors dynasty and he pulled his hamstring in Game 5. The 2021 Suns were up 2-0 in the Finals and collapsed. Injuries and timing have conspired against him at every turn. The tragedy of Chris Paul isn't talent — it's circumstance. He did everything right and the basketball gods said no.
The Floor General
CP3 is famously intense, competitive, and demanding. Teammates either love him or find him exhausting — sometimes both. He's the president of the Players Association, a savvy businessman, and one of the most respected voices in the league. He runs pickup games with the same intensity as playoff games. There is no "off" switch.
Signature Moments
Game 7 vs Spurs — 2008 First Round
CP3 was 22 years old and took on the defending champion Spurs in a Game 7. He had 17 points, 11 assists, and 0 turnovers. Zero. In a Game 7 against Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. The Hornets won. It announced Chris Paul as the best point guard in basketball.
Zero turnovers in a Game 7 against the Spurs. That's not a stat — that's a masterclass in point guard play.
Lob City — Reinventing the Clippers
CP3 turned the Clippers from a laughingstock into must-see TV. The alley-oops to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan created "Lob City" — the most exciting regular-season basketball of the 2010s. He made the Clippers relevant for the first time in franchise history.
The Clippers were the worst franchise in sports. Chris Paul made them appointment television.
The Suns Finals Run — Aging into Greatness
At 36, CP3 led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals — his first trip after 16 years of playoff heartbreak. He averaged 21.4 points and 8.2 assists in the playoffs with a mid-range game that looked like a tutorial video. He fell short in the Finals, but the run proved the Point God still had it.
Sixteen years without a Finals trip. Most players retire bitter. CP3 kept going until he got there.
Career Numbers
Assists Per Game
5th all-time in career assists
9.4
Ast To Ratio
Elite ball security
4.07
Career Assists
5th all-time
11,894
Career Steals
6th all-time
2,614
Points Per Game
Career average
17.5
Steals Per Game
6x steals leader
2.1
Season Stats · Hornets Prime (2008-09)
Engine Attributes
Fan Debate
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