When the San Antonio Spurs signed veteran point guard Chris Paul away from the Golden State Warriors at the start of the NBA’s 2024 free agency period, they knew that they were getting one of the league’s savviest active players and a future Hall of Famer.
But they are also getting (at least in the eyes of ESPN) one of the world’s top 100 athletes since the year 2000. No. 83 overall, to be specific, just behind gymnast Kohei Uchimura and just ahead of WNBA champion Lauren Jackson. “Paul has run thousands of pick-and-rolls to perfection and dished the ball out for nearly 12,000 assists, but his greatest accomplishment might have been transforming the (Los Angeles) Clippers from annual punching bags to perennial playoff contenders while orchestrating the unforgettable Lob City teams,” writes ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
“Before Paul’s arrival in Los Angeles, the franchise had made the postseason just seven times in its history.”
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“Paul’s Clippers made the playoffs six consecutive times as he delivered some of the most scintillating alley-oops in NBA history to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan,” he adds.
“Clippers fans won’t forget Paul’s Game 7-winning running bank shot that capped off a 27-point performance against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in the first round in 2015.”
We’re sure y’all did not need to be reminded of that last tidbit — but he’s on the Spurs’ side now, after all.
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