When Chris Paul signed with San Antonio, there were mixed feelings among Spurs fans. The man who we'd spent the better part of 19 years rooting against was suddenly going to be our starting point guard. This is the player who is responsible for the shot that eliminated the Big Three's last chance at a back-to-back championship run.
Ultimately, everyone understood the acquisition, though. Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the young players needed a veteran to help them learn how to win basketball games in the NBA. The Spurs also needed a starting point guard who could run the offense efficiently, showing guys where to be and getting them the ball in the right spots. CP3 was the best of both worlds.
Now that the season is almost over, we can confidently express how positive his presence has been. It's been a [pleasure to have Paul on the team](https://airalamo.com/sneaky-stat-proves-chris-paul-value-spurs-higher-realize), and the commitment he's shown the Spurs is commendable. The biggest thing you can do is show up, and he's done that for all 73 games. So, with only nine games left, he's that much closer to playing all 82 games at 39 years old.
CP3's accomplishment adds to an already impressive resume
---------------------------------------------------------
The Point God has a long list of achievements already: 12x all-star, 11x All-NBA, 9x All-Defense, and Rookie of the Year, to name a few. Only Michael Jordan and John Stockton have played all 82 games at the age of 39, and at this rate, Paul will add his name to that list.
When he joined the team, he was asked why he chose San Antonio. Sure, he wanted to play with Victor Wembanyama and took an opportunity to be coached by Gregg Popovich, but he wanted to hoop. CP3 still loves the game of basketball, and he's shown up every night to prove it.
The six-time steals leader is seventh in the NBA in assists, averaging 7.6 per game this season. He'd undoubtedly be higher if the Spurs hadn't added De'Aaron Fox and then given free rein to Stephon Castle—a necessary step in the rookie's growth. [Castle has spoken glowingly about Paul](https://x.com/JeffGSpursZone/status/1890633428363579524) and the confidence he's instilled in him. It will be valuable as the fourth overall pick grows in the league.
It's worth mentioning that Harrison Barnes and Julian Champagnie have also played all 73 games this season. It's refreshing to see players healthy for the entire season. Players are either resting or getting injured more than ever, it seems.
Paul will turn 40 years old on May 6, and if he retires, he'll go out as one of the greatest point guards this league has ever seen. I, for one, will be proud that he spent a season in Silver and Black. I'd venture to guess that I'm not alone.