Chris Paul: NBA legend announces his retirement at the age of 40

NBA legend Chris Paul announced his retirement after being released by the Toronto Raptors.

Widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest goaltenders, the 40-year-old is a 12-time NBA All-Star and was named the 2006 Rookie of the Year.

He is one of only seven players to enjoy an NBA career that spanned 21 seasons. Paul also helped the United States win Olympic gold medals in Beijing in 2008 and then four years later in London.

He posted on Instagram: “This is it! After 21 years, I will retire from basketball.”, external

“Mostly, I feel so much joy and gratitude! As this chapter of being an NBA player comes to an end, the game of basketball will forever be ingrained in the DNA of my life.

“I’ve been in the NBA for more than half my life, over three decades. It’s crazy to even say that.”

Nicknamed “Point God,” Paul averaged 16.8 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and two steals per game during a 1,370-game career that began with the New Orleans Hornets in 2005 and effectively ended after a second stint with the Los Angeles Clippers.

He also appeared with the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors, but never played on an NBA championship-winning team.

He came close to a golden ring in 2021, when Phoenix reached the NBA Finals, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Paul, who retires second in NBA history for both assists (12,552) and steals (2,728),

He hasn’t played since Dec. 1, as the Clippers traded him to Toronto earlier this month.