The NBA world was caught off guard on Friday when 12-time All-Star and one of the greatest point guards of all time, Chris Paul, announced his retirement after being waived by the Toronto Raptors.
Paul, 40, has been one of the league’s premier players since being drafted in 2005 out of Wake Forest. While a championship eluded him, he enjoyed a remarkable 21-year career across seven teams, leading the league in assists five times, steals six times, and earning All-NBA honors 11 times.
“This is it! After over 21 years, I’m stepping away from basketball,” Paul wrote in a statement on Instagram. “As I write this, it’s hard to really know what to feel, but for once — most people would be surprised — I don’t have the answer lol! Mostly, though, I’m filled with so much joy and gratitude! While this chapter of being an ‘NBA player’ is done, the game of basketball will forever be engrained in the DNA of my life.
“I’m so excited to carry with me into the next chapter all the incredible lessons basketball has taught me. More importantly, the people I’ve been blessed to meet through basketball have taught me even more.”
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Chris Paul says: “This is it.” pic.twitter.com/GcEJ45nelf
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 13, 2026
Reacting shortly after the news broke on social media was one of Paul’s closest NBA colleagues, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, who has shared the court with Paul as both a teammate and a competitor over the past two decades.
“HELLUVA CAREER CHAMP! CONGRATULATIONS," James wrote.
James and Paul never became teammates during their NBA careers, despite years of speculation that Paul might join the Lakers or even team up with James during his time with the Miami Heat — plans that ultimately never materialized.
Still, Paul will always be remembered as part of the iconic “Banana Boat” image that went viral, featuring him, James, Dwyane Wade, and Wade’s wife Gabrielle Union relaxing together on a vacation.
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