Dwyane Wade reveals what's most impressive about Chris Paul entering 20th NBA season
Chris Paul's longevity in the NBA has been nothing short of remarkable and his close friend Dwyane Wade took the time to praise him not only for performing at a high level for nearly 20 years but also for his contributions to the next generation of players. The three-time NBA champion shared a picture on Instagram of Paul with his son Zaire, accompanied by a touching message.
"One of the greatest PGs to ever play the Game of Basketball is entering his 20th season‼️ What he continues to give the next wave of hoopers is what I’m most impressed with🫡," Wade wrote Saturday morning.
Despite entering the league two years apart (Wade in 2003 and Chris Paul in 2005), they forged a deep bond and became part of a high-profile friend group that included LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. While Wade and Anthony have already announced their retirement, James and Paul remain active and continue their pursuit of championships.
Paul spent the 2023-24 season with the Golden State Warriors, dealing with injuries throughout the season. He has since joined the San Antonio Spurs in free agency, where he is expected to mentor Victor Wembanyama and help the French phenom elevate his game. That's exactly what Wade was talking about, Paul's ability to positively impact young players.
Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul explain why they didn't team up in Miami
Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul's career almost crossed paths in 2010 when the Miami Heat formed a super team with LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Wade. On his podcast, Wade discussed why Chris Paul couldn't join "The Heatles," as there would be a conflict of interests with Wade.
"CJ was sitting on the couch, and we was talking about me coming to Miami.
"We was talking about who going to have the ball in their hands and how it was going to work," said Paul to Wade. "Was it CJ that said something about who going to wear number 3?"
That 'little' detail was enough to call off the move, as they kept playing and trying to win. Wade won two championships with the Big 3 and retired as the greatest Heat player of all time, while Paul keeps looking for that elusive title, this season with the Spurs.