A day after saluting his longtime friend Chris Paul on his retirement announcement, Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James expanded on his well-wishes.
Following Sunday’s 108-106 road victory over the Utah Jazz, James offered the Los Angeles Clippers veteran a heartfelt message of encouragement as he relishes his 21st and final season.
LeBron James Reveals His Biggest Wish for Chris Paul During His Farewell Tour
Paul confirmed that the 2025-26 campaign would be his last on Saturday morning, posting a career montage on social media captioned, “What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!” James promptly shouted out the 12-time All-Star on his Instagram story, writing, “Point God!!! It’s been a helluva ride.”
However, James took his sentiment toward the aging playmaker a step further on Sunday when asked what he “wishes for” him to get out of his final season.
“Happiness. He should be as happy as he possibly can,” James said postgame. “You don’t want to look back when you’re done and be like, ‘I was angry or I didn’t take full advantage of [my] last year,’ and things of that nature.”
Paul’s reunion with the Clippers on a one-year, $3.6 million deal hasn’t gone according to plan. The 11-time All-NBAÂ selectee has been a shell of his former self, struggling to carve out a consistent bench role on a floundering squad in desperate need of reliable supplementary ball handlers.
Still, James believes the 40-year-old is in the ideal spot to close out his career with his loved ones by his side.
“I know he’s happy being back in LA with his family, seeing little CP, seeing his daughter, seeing what they’re doing. I know that’s pretty special to him,” James shared. “So, hope he can just get joy out of this final year, and like you said, we’ve known each other forever, so hell of a player, hell of a career.
“I can go on and on and on, but it’s awesome. I mean, he has nothing to hang his head about. He’s done pretty much everything that this league had to offer. I just hope he takes it all in. This is his last hurrah, so we’ll never get this moment again once you’re done, to be able to go out and be in the arena.”
“Hope he can just get joy out of this final year. …I hope he takes it all in. This is his last hoorah, so we’ll never get this moment again once you’re done to be able to go out and be in the arena.” – LeBron James on what he wishes for Chris Paul in his final season pic.twitter.com/7CL5j1MlIF
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 24, 2025
While James and Paul never teamed up in the NBA, they won two Olympic gold medals together with Team USA at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games, forming a tight bond.
The Lakers (12-4) host the Clippers (5-12) on Tuesday for an NBA Cup clash in West Group B, marking one of James and Paul’s final head-to-head showdowns of their storied careers. Paul is 18-17Â against James all-time in regular-season action, an edge he will look to maintain despite James and Co. riding a four-game winning streak.
