The final outcome wasn’t what he wanted, but in the end, Paul George’s return to Oklahoma City went about as well as anyone could have expected.
On the court, Paul scored 18 points in the Clippers 118-112 loss to the Thunder, shooting just 6-of-17 from the field.
But it was what happened prior to tip-off that set the tone for the night.
Paul was greeted with a standing ovation during the starting lineup introductions, acknowledged by the public address announcer for his contributions to the team and the Oklahoma City community, and, in a place that’s not particularly known for tribute videos, received a message of “Thank you, Paul”, along with pictures displayed on the video board.
Paul George waves to Thunder fans, shakes hands with Billy Donovan and waves to the Thunder bench. Pretty respectful all the way around pic.twitter.com/yGIZ2Y0nyo
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 23, 2019
But the display of affection from both sides didn’t stop there.
As noted by Mark Medina of USA Today, George took time before, during, and after the game to interact with fans, his former head coach, and even Thunder owner, Clay Bennett.
After stepping onto the court, George waved to the Thunder fans. He then hugged Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan. Afterwards, George waved to the Thunder bench. Once the game ended, George was just as warm. He darted to the Thunder bench to exchange more hugs and handshakes. Even during the game, George shared a warm moment with Thunder owner Clay Bennett.
After the game, George praised the organization, telling reporters that the Thunder “set the bar” for the way that a professional franchise should operate.
“I will always view this as one of the best organizations that I could have ever played for. They set the bar in many ways from community, again front office, the way they run things, the way they handle things, they just set the bar in so many ways it was a great imprint. A lasting impression on me that I know in a mid-market what’s capable and what’s possible.”
Paul George was very complementary of the Thunder organization: pic.twitter.com/e0Du9rZajv
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) December 23, 2019
Sunday was George’s first game back in Oklahoma City after requesting a trade to the Clippers in July.
Though he played only two seasons in OKC, it’s clear there’s a mutual admiration between Paul George and the city he once called home.
“It just made me feel appreciated of being here,” George said. “I enjoyed my time here.”