Chris Paul, the 'King of nothing' officially announces his retirement from active duty after 21 years, "It's all over... "I'll be with my family"

*This content was translated by AI.

"Point God" Chris Paul (41), one of the best point guards of all time, eventually leaves the court after a long journey of 21 seasons. He struggled until the end to remove the label of the king of no spectators, but ended up with a somewhat lonely ending without wearing the championship ring.

British media "ESPN" reported on the 14th (Korea Standard Time) that Paul officially announced his retirement from the NBA through his personal social network service (SNS). Paul said, "That's it. "I'm leaving the basketball world for the first time in 21 years," he said. "It's time to spend time for my family and others."

Paul's retirement process was not smooth. He chose to return to his romantic relationship with his former team the LA Clippers in July, signaling his retirement after this season, but the result was a tragedy. After returning, he played an average of 2.9 points for 16 games, playing only 14.3 minutes per game, failing to melt into the team. In the end, he suffered the humiliation of being released by the Clippers in December amid rumors of a feud with the club's leadership and manager Turon Roux.

Paul then moved to the Toronto Raptors through a triangular trade on February 4. However, Toronto did not allow Paul to play and found a team to sign him by the trade deadline, but it was ultimately canceled. In the end, Toronto announced Paul on waivers on the 13th, and Paul announced his retirement immediately instead of waiting for an additional team recruitment offer, ending his 21-year career.

There is no winning ring, but Paul's record is unrivaled. He ranked second in the category with 1,2552 assists and 2,728 steals in total. He is also the first player in NBA history to reach the 20,000 points-100,000-assist mark. He has also been named in the NBA's 75th anniversary team, boasting a brilliant award, including 12 All-NBA teams, 11 All-NBA teams, and 9 All-Defensive teams.

"Paul will remain one of the best point guards of all time and the true playmaker of our sport," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "He has shown tremendous leadership not only on-court performances but also in the league's handling of COVID-19 and social issues as president of the Players Association."

Paul was listed as one of six players who earned more than $400 million (about 577.6 billion won) by playing for New Orleans, Houston, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio, and the Clippers. Paul, who was already inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025 as a member of the 2008 Olympic team, is sure to make it to the Hall of Fame in an individual capacity soon.

He dreamed of a brilliant last dance in his home team, but faced the humble end of the release and waivers. Paul left the NBA court without winning the title of champion.

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*This content was translated by AI.