Chris Paul Makes NBA History in His 20th Season
April 13, 2025, 04:30 PM ET – In a remarkable feat of endurance and skill, Chris Paul has once again proven why he is one of the most respected players in the NBA. In his 20th season, Paul started all 82 games, setting a new benchmark for longevity and consistency in the league.
Paul’s achievement is not just a personal milestone but a historic one. By starting in the San Antonio Spurs‘ season finale on Sunday, he became the first player to make 82 starts this late into a career. The previous record was held by Utah’s John Stockton, who started all 82 games in his 19th and final season.
At nearly 40 years old, Paul joins an elite group of players who have managed to play 82 games at such an advanced age. Stockton achieved this feat in the seasons where he turned 39 and 40, while Michael Jordan played all 82 games in his final season at age 39, starting 67 of them.
“It’s crazy,” Paul reflected. “I was talking to my wife about this. When you’re sort of in it, you’re not really thinking about it. It’s like, ‘OK, it’s Game 30. OK, it’s Game 40something. It’s game such and such.'”
But it did become Game 82, and Paul never missed a beat. He is one of six players who made 82 starts in this NBA regular season, which concluded on Sunday. The others include the New York Knicks‘ Mikal Bridges, Minnesota Timberwolves‘ Jaden McDaniels, Houston Rockets‘ Jalen Green, Cleveland Cavaliers‘ Jarrett Allen, and Paul’s Spurs teammate Harrison Barnes.
With Paul, Barnes, and Julian Champagnie, the Spurs became the first team since the 2017-18 Minnesota Timberwolves to have at least three players appear in 82 games. For Barnes, who is in his first year with the Spurs, Sunday’s game marked his 304th consecutive appearance. He and Paul are the first Spurs to play all 82 games since Bryn Forbes and Patty Mills in 2018-19, and the first to start all 82 since Bruce Bowen in 2006-07.
“Year 20, this is only the second time in my career playing 82 games,” Paul said. “And also playing as long as I have, I think I know how hard it is. That’s why I have so much respect for Harrison, who is doing this for the third year in a row. And Mikal, who was my teammate, he never misses a game.”
- Mikal Bridges played his 556th consecutive regular-season game on Sunday, a streak that includes 116 games at Villanova and 39 NBA playoff games, totaling 711 consecutive games since college.
- The Knicks rested four starters for a game that had no impact on standings, but Bridges played the first six seconds to extend his streak, then was subbed out.
- Jarrett Allen played 41 seconds for Cleveland to reach 82 starts before being subbed out.
Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings‘ Jonas Valanciunas appeared in 81 games this season, missing out on 82 due to being inactive for two teams on the same day because of a pending trade.
Paul is now the 11th player in NBA history to reach 20 seasons. LeBron James is expected to become the first to reach 23 seasons, surpassing Vince Carter’s 22. Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Willis all played 21 seasons, a milestone Paul is expected to reach next year. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Jamal Crawford, and Udonis Haslem also played 20 seasons, a club Kyle Lowry will join next season.
“I know there’s stuff still in the tank,” Paul said. “You know, I think for me, the summer will just be a really good time to just evaluate everything, the opportunities. But the love for the game is still there.”
Originally Written by: Associated Press
