Chris Paul is having a fine season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but most know he has probably only a few years left. Though he says he wants to complete 20 seasons, it remains that he needs to start paying it forward to the young guys over at his end. And it appears the 34-year-old is doing just that.
One young cager in the Thunder fold making waves this season is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Only in his sophomore year, the 21-year-old is making waves. Better yet, he seems to be getting the proper guidance from a certified NBA All-Star in Paul. CP3 recently shared what he tells Gilgeous-Alexander, telling him stories of his matchups during his prime via the Bleacher Report.
Paul shares with Gilgeous-Alexander how he squared up with NBA greats such as Allen Iverson and Gilbert Arenas. He cautioned the 11th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft that these matchups are something he can learn from. Of course, there will be nights when he would be outplayed. But the 6-foot-1 guard added that these players who also guard him might not be that good too. Hence, he just has to play his best and show them up.
Paul and Gilgeous-Alexander are part of the reason why the Thunder have been making progress this season. Not too many expected OKC to reach this far, more so make the NBA playoffs. As of this writing, they are running fifth with a 37-22 win-loss record in the Western Conference. For a team that is supposedly in rebuild mode, this feat can be categorized as an overachievement.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 19.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 58 games per Basketball-Reference.com. For a guy who is just in his second year, these are impressive numbers. At the rate he is going, that production is expected to grow even more.
As for Paul, it has been a surprising year as well. He has managed to keep himself healthy - something he credits to a vegan diet. He has played in 57 games, averaging 17.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. He has hardly shown any signs of struggles since he has been playing continuously this 2019-20 season.
There is no telling how long Paul will be playing for the Thunder or the NBA. But he has certainly made detractors look bad with most believing he is slowing down. As most can see, the has hardly shown, and the 10-time All-Star is even enjoying his dual role. Will this be his last stop? Regardless, Paul still has plenty left in his tank.
