What makes a great NBA career? Is it solely based on winning above all else? Is a player greater because of the accolades and awards they can cultivate? Or is it a combination of the two? Where does longevity fall?
Now playing in his 20th NBA season (for the San Antonio Spurs), Chris Paul is entering the twilight of his career. Year 20 also marks uncharted territory for most of the league.
To play in the world's best league for 20 consecutive seasons is no small feat. Paul has joined an exclusive class of players. So exclusive that he is only the eleventh player to do so. That’s less than one percent of players in league history.
TWO DECADE CLUB
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Robert Parish
Kevin Willis
Kevin Garnett
Dirk Nowitzki
Vince Carter
Kobe Bryant
Jamal Crawford
Udonis Haslem
LeBron James
Chris Paul
Take a look at that list. Take a really good look at the list. Of the 11 players on this list, Paul is the only point guard. It's one thing to manage to stick around for 20 years. To spend more than half of them years as one of the greatest point guards in the history of the game is a whole other thing.
Nowadays it’s cool to clown Paul now that he's at the tail end of his career. Many aren't privy to Paul’s glory days in New Orleans, Los Angeles, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Phoenix. Either that or they are simply choosing to forget.
At his peak, he was widely regarded as the best true point guard in the league. He passed the eye test every time, he earned the “Point God” monicker. For the stat sheet watchers, his numbers told the story of what everyone saw on the court. The high assist numbers reflected how he set the table for his teammates. The low turnovers are a reflection of how he took care of the rock and didn't waste possessions.
For his career, Paul averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 2 steals on 47-37-87 shooting splits. He spent the prime years of his career turning teams into contenders. Now in the tail end of his, Paul has turned into a mentor for the young talent in the league. After successful stints with the young Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns; Paul has proven to be a positive impact. The professionalism and experience he brought to the court and locker room helped those teams take that leap.
Today, Paul finds himself in San Antonio playing alongside Victor Wembanyama. A legendary point guard alongside a young generational talent at center. This is the recipe for something special. A championship most likely won’t be the result, but Paul has the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on Wemby and his young teammates. The longevity warrants respect.
The Spurs are currently 6-8 while Paul averages 10 points, 8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds on 46-38-100 shooting splits. No eye-popping stats, but it’s still early in the season. His impact nowadays goes far beyond those numbers.
In today’s hoop culture, everyone is obsessed with post-season success and championship rings. This tunnel vision does a disservice to the likes of Paul. Yes, winning is what is most important; but you can’t tell me Paul hasn’t had a remarkable career despite the lack of a ring.
2-time Olympic Gold Medalist
9-time All-Star
4-time All NBA First Team
3-time All NBA Second Team
All NBA Third Team
7-time All NBA Defensive First Team
2-Time All NBA Defensive Second Team
3rd All-Time in Assist (12,000)
What Paul has managed to do up until this point is unprecedented. Don’t harp on the one flaw in his career (no championship), instead embrace the great career he’s been able to carve out standing at just 6’0”. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the greatest point guards to play the game. 20 years in and he's still here, the longevity has to count for something.
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