Chris Paul, who turns 40 next month, isn’t ready to hang it up just yet. The veteran point guard for the San Antonio Spurs recently told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he still plans to keep playing.
“I’ll be 40 in May. So, yeah man, I’m going to keep playing, I think,” Paul said. “At the end of every season, I take time to reflect—on playing, on how my body’s holding up. But as the years go by, those conversations increasingly involve my family, especially my kids. They have a big say in it now.”
Chris Paul, nearing his 40th birthday, isn’t quite ready to call it a career. In a recent interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the veteran Spurs guard shared that he’s leaning toward continuing his playing days, though he plans to reflect over the summer with his family before making a final decision.
“Obviously, I got a lot of homies, friends that have retired or whatnot,” Paul said. “And they are always like, ‘Man, play as long as you possibly can.’ I appreciate that. But I always want to talk to my kids about it because that’s the most important job I have. I love to play, but I definitely love my kids and my family more than I like to play.”
Paul and his wife, Jada, share two children—Chris II (15) and Camryn (12)—who now play a bigger role in his career decisions. Despite his age, Paul said his passion for the game has only grown: “My love for the game is even higher now.”
On the court, Paul continues to contribute at a high level, averaging 8.8 points and 7.6 assists in just 28 minutes per game this season. He’s also shooting 38.3% from three and a career-best 94.0% from the free-throw line.
However, his future remains uncertain. His contract with the Spurs expires after the season, and San Antonio’s backcourt is already loaded with young talent like Stephon Castle and recently acquired former All-Star De’Aaron Fox. Paul hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing elsewhere, and while he’s previously expressed interest in post-playing opportunities, it appears he’s still got his mind on staying in the league—at least for now.
