After more than two decades in the NBA, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers announced he will retire after the 2025-26 season.
Paul has had a long and successful basketball career, with numerous stops along the way, during which he has formed lifelong friendships, including one with current Los Angeles Lakers head coach and former teammate JJ Redick.
JJ Redick Reflects on Relationship With Chris Paul
Redick’s relationship with Paul was rocky at first. He reflected on their bitter rivalry after Lakers practice on Saturday, when asked about what Paul’s legacy will be once he retires, via Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation.
“It’ll be whatever people decide it is,” Redick said of Paul’s legacy. “I’m not going to craft a narrative. I just know him as a human being, a teammate, and a brother. The arc of our relationship, from going from a decade-plus of quite literally hating each other to feeling like he’s part of my family and getting to watch him evolve as a player, as a competitor, as a leader in the later stages, particularly after I retire, has been fun for me. It’s rare that you see guys who have accomplished as much as he’s accomplished to grow in the ways that he grew both as a player and a person.”
JJ Redick discussed Chris Paul’s legacy and told some funny stories about when they used to hate each other: pic.twitter.com/nc7y9Wmqw9
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) November 22, 2025
Once Paul officially retires and becomes eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is widely expected to be a first-ballot inductee, despite never having won an NBA championship, unless the Clippers manage a dramatic turnaround this season.
After one season playing alongside Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs during the 2024-25 campaign, Paul chose to return to the Clippers on a one-year deal, which has now become a retirement tour.
“The game will miss him,” Redick said of Paul’s retirement. “I’ll say that. The game will miss him, and I’m sure he’ll have some amazing opportunities in retirement.”
Although Paul’s decision to rejoin the Clippers appeared natural — given his greatest success came with the franchise — the veteran point guard has played sparingly in his second stint, averaging 13.7 minutes per game in a limited role.
However, the 40-year-old seems content with his choice, and ending his career with the Clippers is a fitting conclusion to an incredible NBA career.
