OKC Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Discusses Chris Paul Retirement

Out of the blue about a quarter of the way through the season, what was supposed to be a grand farewell tour for an NBA icon turned into a trip cut far too short. Just mere days after Chris Paul officially announced his plans to retire at the end of the season, playing one last campaign with his L.A. Clippers as Paul gave the L.A. understudies their most relevant era in club history, the team sent him home.

The Clippers drug their feet and kept him away from the team until trading him at last week's NBA Trade Deadline to the Toronto Raptors who did waived Paul prompting his retirement effective immediately as announced at the start of NBA All-Star weekend.

This left the NBA World giving touching tributes to not only a future Hall of Famer but arguably the best Point Guard to ever grace the hardwood in the modern era and one of the best ever.

Paul has been pivotal for each organization he has touched, but there is an argument that Oklahoma City is chief among them.

Sure, he only spent one year as a member of the Thunder, but his electric play and community buy in during his stint with the Oklahoma City Hornets certainly helped the city's case in getting an NBA club of their own, pivoting from the idea of landing a professional hockey team.

Though, even that one year for the OKC Thunder holds a special place in the history of the Bricktown Ballers. Not only was that one of the most care-free yet fun rides a team has ever been on in this city, but Paul is credited for the development of now superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“Chris [Paul] 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. Chris was like the first point guard for me. He was the first point guard that I studied. 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," Gilgeous-Alexander said at NBA All-Star media day.

The way Paul's career came to a close is disappointing, but nothing else about his basketball journey was. He deserves to be celebrated in a big way and Gilgeous-Alexander took the time at All-Star weekend to do just that.

“Honestly, it’s sad the way it’s happened. I thought he would get his flowers a little bit differently, but that’ll never change what he’s done for this game. I’m proud of him. He’s been special. Hopefully I can get to that level of mastering the game of basketball," Gilgeous-Alexander continued.