Chris Paul is back with the Clippers and it means so much to him
'It's kind of wild, kind of crazy, still kind of speechless,' Paul said. 'This is one of those things I kind of manifested for a long time, sort of tried to speak it into existence, but you just never know if it's really going to happen.' Last summer, Paul reached out to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and asked for a tour of Intuit Dome, which opened nearly a year ago. 'I was just sort of peeking because I didn't know if a guy on the current team was here and they were like, 'What the hell he doing here walking around?'' Paul said, smiling. 'Walking around just now, it's a totally different feeling.'
For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Paul frequently glanced down at his family sitting in the first row – wife Jada, 16-year-old son Chris Jr., and 12-year-old daughter Camryn. They continued living in Los Angeles when he left the Clippers six years ago. That led to watching their father on TV and sharing quick phone conversations before school. 'I love to hoop, I love to play this game, but I love my family more than any of it,' he said.
He's already making up for lost time. He lifted weights with his son and recently returned from attending his daughter's AAU basketball tournament. 'To tell you the truth, my wife and my kids probably tired of me already,' he said. 'Ever since I got the news, every time we're home, I'm just jumping around talking about, 'I'm home! I'm home!''
Paul left the Clippers for the Houston Rockets in 2017 because he felt it was time for a change, and he wanted to compete for a championship with Harden. 'It's wild that you get this opportunity again after those two years and the success that we had,' Paul said. 'We definitely know we had unfinished business, so we get a chance to see what's going on here.' After two seasons in Houston, Paul went to Oklahoma City for one season. He then spent three years with Phoenix and one with Golden State before joining the Spurs last season. They finished 13th in the Western Conference at 34-48.
'I wanted to get back and play here by any means necessary,' Paul said. 'I didn't even care what the team looked like. I just wanted to be home, be here with the Clippers.' Paul joins Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James as active 40-year-olds in the NBA. 'It's going to be cool,' he said. 'It's a lot of gratitude to still get a chance to play at this age.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Emotions run high, as 4 Angels batters are hit by pitches in 8-5 win over Rangers
ANAHEIM, Calif. – The benches cleared in the eighth inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 8-5 win over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, and even though no punches were thrown, emotions ran high after the game. Rangers reliever Shawn Armstrong hit Zach Neto and Mike Trout with consecutive pitches to load the bases, prompting Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery to walk toward the plate, wave his arms, and yell at Texas manager Bruce Bochy. 'I just heard the yelling, and that was enough,' Bochy said. '(Hitting guys intentionally) was the last thing (we were trying to do). I brought Armstrong in to keep them from scoring a run. But I guess we hit somebody and it's intentional, but when they hit (Rangers shortstop Corey) Seager it's not. I just thought that was enough.' Montgomery said his outburst was fueled in part by Neto being hit by Patrick Corbin in the first inning and Luis Rengifo being hit by Caleb Boushley in the seventh, but he did not accuse the Rangers of purposely throwing at the Angels. 'You hit our second baseman, our shortstop (twice), and then Mike (Trout) – the only thing I said was, 'How many times are you going to hit a guy?'' Montgomery said. 'I wasn't insinuating that they were intentionally doing it by any means. When that happens, everybody's angry in the moment. I was just frustrated that our guys were getting hit, and I wanted him to command the ball a little bit better.' The Angels appreciated the fight their manager showed. 'I think the boys loved it – he's sticking up for his guys,' Trout said. 'I've been saying it since day one. We have a tight group here; we play for each other.' The Angels trailed 4-3 in the sixth inning when they rallied for four two-out runs. Gustavo Campero hit an RBI double for a 4-all tie, Yoán Moncada lined a pinch-hit two-run single to right for a 6-4 lead, and Neto added an RBI double for a 7-4 lead. The Angels were outhit 14-6 but still found a way to win for the fourth time in five games, improve to 53-55, and move to within four games of an AL wild-card spot ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. Texas (56-52) is one game out of the playoff picture. Veteran closer Kenley Jansen, the subject of trade rumors while the Angels determine whether they will add players or shed players before the deadline, threw a scoreless ninth for his 20th save, extending his consecutive scoreless streak to 17 games. 'I still believe in this team, man,' Jansen said of the Angels, who are trying to snap a 10-year playoff drought. 'It's up to the front office to determine what direction they go, but if they can figure out how we can improve, we have an offense that can win ballgames. I like this group of guys. I want to be a part of turning this franchise around.'
Al Arabiya
21 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Los Angeles Sparks riding five-game winning streak as 2nd half of season is underway
No team has been playing better since the All-Star break than the Los Angeles Sparks, and they've been doing it with a stellar offense. The team has won five straight games, including three on the road, heading into Tuesday night's matchup with the Las Vegas Aces. It's only the third time in the past five years that the team has won five or more games in a row. The Sparks had a nine-game winning streak in 2020 and a six-game one in 2023. Los Angeles has scored 90 or more points in all five games for the first time in franchise history and has put up consecutive 100-point efforts–again a first for the team. 'We've been playing better in the last month; part of that is getting bodies back,' Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. 'We're playing with more pace, so they're figuring it out. We don't play a traditional style; there's a lot of freedom.' The Sparks have been getting strong contributions from all five of their starters. Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby are averaging 20.8 points each. Rickea Jackson and Azura Stevens are right behind at 18.2 points and 17.0 respectively. Jackson torched the Liberty on Saturday for 20 points in the first-half and hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer. Los Angeles will also welcome back Cameron Brink on Tuesday. She's been sidelined for 13 months with an ACL injury. Power poll rankings: Minnesota remained the No. 1 team in the poll, with Atlanta jumping up to the second spot. New York was third, and Phoenix fell to fourth. Seattle was fifth and Indiana sixth, with Las Vegas next. The Sparks moved up two spots to eighth. Washington and Golden State followed Los Angeles. Dallas, Chicago, and Connecticut rounded out the poll. Clark health update: Caitlin Clark is still sidelined with a right groin injury, and there's no timetable yet on her return. Indiana's star guard had a second opinion on the injury when the Fever visited New York last week. The team announced there were no signs of additional damage and that maintaining her long-term health was the focus in her recovery. Player of the week: Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana was the AP player of the week after averaging 28.3 points, four assists, and 1.7 steals to help the Fever go 2-1 last week. Other players receiving votes included Napheesa Collier of Minnesota, Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby of Los Angeles, and Alyssa Thomas of Phoenix. Game of the week: New York at Minnesota Wednesday. It's the first meeting of the season between the participants of the WNBA Finals last year. The Liberty won that series in a decisive Game 5 in overtime.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Díaz's walk-off single lifts the Padres to a wild 7-6 win against the Mets
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Elías Díaz singled with two outs in the ninth inning to bring in Jose Iglesias with the winning run, and the San Diego Padres beat the New York Mets 7-6 in a wild game Monday night to end their seven-game winning streak. The Padres chased Díaz into shallow right field in celebration. Iglesias, who played for New York last year, reached on a bunt that new Mets reliever Gregory Soto (0-3) fielded and threw wide of shortstop Francisco Lindor, allowing Xander Bogaerts to take second. Iglesias advanced on Jake Cronenworth's bunt that forced Bogaerts at third and then scored on Díaz's single to left-center. Ronny Mauricio tied the game for the National League East-leading Mets with a one-out homer in the ninth off All-Star closer Robert Suarez (3-4), who was trying for his major league-leading 31st save. Padres starter Dylan Cease was hit in the back of the head by a one-hopper off Lindor's bat with one out in the third but remained in the game after being checked by trainers. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected one batter later by plate umpire Emil Jimenez after Juan Soto took a called third strike. The Mets took a 5-1 lead in the fifth when Mark Vientos hit his first career grand slam, one inning after right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. made a spectacular leaping catch to rob him of a two-run homer. The Padres rallied for five runs in the bottom of the inning on seven hits and a walk, as well as a break when reliever Huascar Brazobán was late covering first on Cronenworth's two-out shot to first baseman Pete Alonso that went for an RBI single. The highlight was Luis Arraez's two-run homer high off the right-field foul pole, followed by an epic bat flip. Key moments include Tatis robbing Vientos and then making a sliding catch of Mauricio's sinking liner in the sixth. A key stat: It was the Padres fifth walk-off win this season. Up next, Mets Left-Handed Pitcher Sean Manaea (1-1, 2.19 ERA), who pitched for the Padres in 2022, is scheduled to start Tuesday night. The Padres hadn't announced a starter.
