25. Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets/Los Angeles Clippers/Houston Rockets
Point guard Chris Paul, a.k.a. “CP3”, has made quite the name for himself as a playmaker in the NBA. Whether passing or scoring the ball, he’s shown why he’s such a lethal playmaker during his career in the NBA.
Paul is currently entering his second season with the Houston Rockets. Before that, he was with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2011 to 2017. Before that, he was the face of the New Orleans Hornets franchise. Every stop he’s made, he’s gotten closer to his goal of an NBA title. A lot of it has to do with his ability to lead by example.
He won the 2006-07 NBA Rookie of the Year award with the Hornets, averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game his first season in. From 2007 to 2009, he led the league in assists per game with 11.6 and 11.0 assists, respectively.
He won two more assist titles with the Clippers from 2013 to 2015, averaging 10.7 assists per game in 2013-14 and 10.2 assists per game in 2014-15. He hasn’t led the league in assists since joining the Rockets, but his profile has raised a ton since joining James Harden.
Paul is currently nursing an injury which has set his team back a bit, but his return should make them a favorite to win it all, given the season Harden is having. To date, he’s dished out 20 assists or more in four games during his career. With Clint Capela and Harden on the floor, that’s a number that should be a goal with championship aspirations on their mind.