The San Antonio Spurs took a chance on 39-year-old point guard Chris Paul in the offseason to pair young superstar center Victor Wembanyama with a veteran playmaker. Even with his time in the league running out, Paul continues to make a difference.
Paul is averaging 8.9 points, 7.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game this season, but his career-low numbers certainly show that he is slowing down.
The Spurs are hosting the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, and Paul reached an incredible feat to prove his elite longevity. Paul officially moved into 17th on the NBA's all-time games played list, passing Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton.
Congrats to @CP3 of the @spurs for moving into 17th on the all-time GAMES PLAYED list! pic.twitter.com/UtLPf2sfBH
— NBA (@NBA) March 13, 2025
Despite Paul being 17th on the all-time games played leaderboard, he is second in both the all-time steals and all-time assists list, trailing only John Stockton in both.
Paul is in year 20, spending valuable time with seven different NBA franchises: The Hornets, Clippers, Rockets, Thunder, Suns, Warriors, and Spurs. The 12-time All-Star is a lock for the Hall of Fame, and it is a shame that the legendary point guard will likely finish his career without an MVP award or NBA championship.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3)
Mar 7, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) controls the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
The Spurs made a good move by signing Paul to a one-year deal, as his off-the-court impact will likely leave a longer mark on San Antonio's young core than his on-the-court presence, which could be far more valuable.
As long as Paul plays in at least 11 of the Spurs' final 18 games of the season, he will pass both Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant to move into 15th place on the all-time games played list.
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