As far as reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is concerned, Chris Paul really is a Point God—and one who helped him become the player he is right now.
Paul, who was dubbed “Point God” during his prime for his unrivaled ability to run an offense and control the game, announced his official retirement on Saturday after 21 seasons in what was a truly illustrious career. Players and pundits alike gave Paul his flowers, as expected, with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s SGA giving a most touching nod to a former mentor.
“Chris was special for my career. Off the court, he was the first person that I was around to really take care of their body and show me the importance of the weight room. His life was really like a regimen, and it allowed him to be successful on the court,” Gilgeous-Alexander said during NBA All-Star media availability day when asked about Paul and his retirement.
Gilgeous-Alexander and His Close Relationship with the Point God
SGA then doubled down on his initial point, noting how Paul was the first point guard he extensively studied—and how years later, the two floor generals connected on a level deeper than hoops.
“Chris was like the first point guard for me. He was the first point guard that I studied,” SGA added. “I was in high school, and I was watching how he read the pick and roll. I was watching how he controlled the game. He was the standard for a point guard. And obviously, fast forward a couple of years, he’s one of my closest friends.”
That closeness shouldn’t come as a surprise. Paul and Gilgeous-Alexander were once teammates in OKC during the 2019-20 NBA season. Both point guards were acquired in separate deals, with Paul getting shipped from the Houston Rockets and SGA acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers. The two formed the Thunder’s starting backcourt that year and developed a friendship in the process.
Now, Gilgeous-Alexander is the league’s MVP and among the NBA’s premier players. Paul, his close friend, will be riding off into the proverbial sunset as one of basketball’s greatest ever.
