Although they never played together on the same NBA team or represented Team USA in major international tournaments at the same time, Chris Paul and Paul George maintained a close bond throughout their careers. The two superstars faced off on the court as rivals for years, but their friendship endured — until a specific event shattered it. Now the Philadelphia 76ers star explained what happened.
“I’m not the fondest of CP these days,” Paul George admitted during an appearance on his own show, Podcast P, earlier this week. “People don’t know this, but me and CP used to have a great relationship. He was the reason I got LASIK (eye surgery). He recommended an eye doctor for me… and my eyes have been terrific.”
George went on to explain how close they were, sharing personal moments and trusting one another. “Our relationship was up to that level where I could give him a call like ‘hey, like, you know, my (expletive) is (expletive) up,’” he added. before delving into the reasons for their estrangement. “Now fast forward we get into I think it was a playoff matchup against Phoenix, or it was a regular season game, I can’t remember which one it was, but we get into it.”
George was referring to the 2021 Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Suns. In that series, Phoenix won 4-2, advancing to the NBA Finals, where they ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. “Words was thrown out there that shouldn’t be thrown out there between two men. That kind of just drew the line for me,” the 34-year-old small forward recalled.
Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) during an NBA, Basketball Herren, USA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns Sunday, October 23, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Paul George didn’t forget that
Nearly four years have passed since the heated altercation between Paul George and Chris Paul, but time has clearly not healed that rift. “I’m one of those, once you’re on one side, bro, you staying there.” George explained. “Absolutely, I get where that competitive nature comes from. I don’t know if it’s that little man syndrome, but he definitely got that competitive nature,” he added with a hint of sarcasm.
The 76ers star also made it clear that, for him, there’s no coming back from the tension with Paul. “If you are OG to me, I’m going to respect that 100%. I ain’t going to never go against. You’ll never hear me disrespectful… But if you give me some type of way, I can’t respect that.”
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When will George and Paul face each other again?
With almost 30% of the 2024-25 NBA season already played, Chris Paul and Paul George have yet to face off on the court. However, their first matchup of the season is fast approaching. The Philadelphia 76ers will host the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday, December 23, just under two weeks away.
Given the personal history between George and Paul, this game is sure to draw extra attention. NBA fans will be watching closely to see how the two interact and perform on the court. With their long-standing rivalry and the unresolved tension between them, the December 23 matchup is set to be a highly anticipated moment of the season.
