Chris Paul announces his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA

Santo Domingo.- Legendary point guard Chris Paul announced his retirement from professional basketball, ending a brilliant 21-season career in the NBA. The veteran playmaker, 40 years old, communicated the decision through his social media shortly after his departure from the Los Angeles Clippers, the franchise with which he concluded his career. You may be interested in: Towns leads Knicks' thrashing of the 76ers with a double-double included The player, born in Winston-Salem, was considered one of the best point guards of the 21st century. During his career he accumulated 12 All-Star selections and was chosen four times for the league's ideal quintet. In addition, he led the NBA in assists for five seasons and retired second on the historical list of both assists (12,552) and steals (2,728), only surpassed by John Stockton. Known as “CP3”, he also became the first player in history to reach at least 20,000 points and 10,000 assists. At the international level, he won two Olympic gold medals with the United States in 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics, as well as a world championship bronze in 2006. Selected in the fourth position of the 2005 draft, he began his career with the New Orleans Hornets before becoming a figure for the Clippers, a team he led to regularly compete in the playoffs. Subsequently, he played for the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His departure was precipitated after a brief final stage with the Clippers, with whom he played only 16 games before being traded to the Toronto Raptors. The Canadian franchise opted to release him after failing to finalize a new trade. In his final message, Paul expressed gratitude and satisfaction for his career, stating that, although his time as a player has ended, basketball will continue to be an essential part of his life. His retirement closes the career of one of the most influential and respected point guards of his generation, remembered both for his leadership on the court and for his tactical intelligence.