Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James used the latest episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast with co-host Steve Nash to salute newly retired guard Chris Paul, calling the longtime friend “one of the best point guards that’s ever played this game.”
Paul, 39, announced the end of his NBA career during the 2023-24 season. James, 39, reflected on their 20-plus-year friendship that began when both were high-school standouts. “Fast-forward to my senior year in high school, we’re playing in Greensboro, North Carolina, during HBCU weekend,” James recalled. “We win that game and Chris Paul comes into the locker room. That’s the first time I officially met him. I was 17; he was 16.”
The four-time NBA champion outlined milestones they shared: the 2003 McDonald’s All-American Game, Paul’s college years at Wake Forest, their time as Olympic teammates and numerous All-Star appearances. He then traced Paul’s professional journey through New Orleans, the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston, Phoenix and other stops, predicting that the Clippers will one day retire Paul’s No. 3 jersey.
“It’s incredible what he was able to do in all the stops he was in,” James said, highlighting Paul’s 2021 NBA Finals trip with the Suns and what James called Paul’s “fierce competitiveness.”
The Lakers star also noted a personal connection off the court: “His daughter and my daughter happen to be best friends, and that’s pretty cool.”
James, who has yet to decide whether he will return for a 24th NBA season, said nothing about his own future on the episode. Around the league, speculation continues about potential destinations if he elects to keep playing; one rumor links him to a third stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell declined to discuss that possibility when asked earlier this week.
Paul retires without an NBA championship but leaves as an 18-year veteran widely regarded for his court vision, leadership and basketball IQ—qualities James underscored throughout the podcast conversation.
Source: Lakers Nation
