Chris Paul had nothing but high praise for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ahead of Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
Before the game, Paul, who played one season in OKC alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, shared how much love and admiration he has for the newly crowned NBA MVP.
After the Thunder's convincing 118-103 victory, Gilgeous-Alexander spoke openly about how much Chris Paul has impacted his career as well as his life outside basketball. The Thunder superstar considers Paul to be his mentor and is very appreciative of everything the 12-time All-Star has done for him.
A new photo of Paul and Gilgeous-Alexander from the game is currently making its rounds on social media. ESPN placed the photo alongside an old picture of the two during their time together as teammates in OKC back in the 2019-20 season.
The photos drew all sorts of reactions from the fans on social media, but more than a few supporters could not help but feel sad after seeing the pictures.
"Oh how time flies ð¥º" ESPN captioned the post.
"damn he’s finna get a ring before his mentor ð¥ð" a post read.
"I’m not crying…you are.ðð¥¹" said another.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
"Why does CP3 look like he aged 20 yrs here? ð" a reaction read.
"I gotta feeling cp3 out after this yearð" another said.
"Time needs to slow down," commented a fan.
Paul will become a free agent this summer after his one-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs came to an end at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
The 40-year-old played all 82 games for the Spurs this past year, averaging 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.3 steals, while also knocking down 1.7 triples in 28.0 minutes per game.
There's no denying that Paul still has some gas left in the tank, but after 20 seasons in the NBA, it remains to be seen what the future holds for the 11-time All-NBA point guard.