The NBA’s obsession with championships as a legacy-definer has hurt plenty of players’ reputations in previous decades, but perhaps nobody more so than Chris Paul.
The future Hall-of-Famer is arguably one of the top five point guards in basketball history, and a scan through his postseason game log reveals dozens of standout performances. But prior to 2021, Paul took on an unfair persona among casual fans and the less discerning factions of the basketball intelligentsia. His career seemed destined to end with one giant hole, including double-digit All-NBA selections but no championship. That narrative could be put to death sooner than later if Tuesday night is any indication.