Chris Paul spent 21 years as one of the most decorated point guards in NBA history. Now retired, the 12-time All-Star is opening up about what that career quietly cost him - and it's hitting fans harder than any highlight reel ever did.
In a recent interview, Paul described watching an old video from his late grandfather's birthday celebration and realizing he wasn't in it. "Dang, where am I?" he recalled thinking, before calling his mother to ask. She reminded him he was likely away at an AAU tournament, playing travel basketball. Paul said the moment made something click: for most of his life, chasing the game had meant missing things that mattered. He added that he'd been living in Arizona away from his wife and kids for the last four years.
The reflection comes just months after Paul announced his retirement in February, calling his 21-year career "an unbelievable blessing" despite a difficult final stretch that included being cut from the Los Angeles Clippers. He told PEOPLE afterward that he was "at peace with everything" and held no regrets about his time in the league.
For longtime fans, Paul's honesty tracks with how he's talked about his life off the court for years. Paul has been open about his Christian faith since early in his career, once telling fans directly, "I am a Christian. I grew up in the church and still go to church every Sunday if we don't have practice. It's always something that my parents instilled in me. I've grown to be pretty devout in my faith." That same grounding is often credited with shaping one of the most talked-about moments of his life off the court - his choice to publicly forgive the men convicted of killing his grandfather, a decision he connected directly back to the faith his parents raised him in.
Now stepping into life after basketball, Paul appears focused on reclaiming the time the game once required. He's said he's excited about "getting a chance to play a small role in whatever anything looks like next" - a new chapter, this time without a season schedule dictating where he needs to be.
