Even though this year hasn't been what Chris Paul would have hoped for, considering he was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers and then bounced around a little in the league before finally announcing his retirement, that will not erase the legacy he left on the game of basketball.
As one of the greatest pure floor generals, Paul stands ranked 2nd all-time in both total assists and total steals. However, among all his highlights over the years, the moment that still stands out the most for Paul is when he was on the receiving end of one of the nastiest ankle-breakers in history.
If we go back to March 31, 2015, the Golden State Warriors were visiting the Clippers in the Staples Center. Paul was, of course, the main engine of that Clippers "Lob City" era squad, which made some noise in the Western Conference. However, across from them were the Warriors, led by a young Steph Curry , who were just starting their rise to dominance over the league.
On that particular night, the scoreboard didn't matter as much, but the one moment that still lingers in every fan's memory was when Curry put Paul in the blender near the left block and unleashed two quick behind-the-back dribbles, which made CP3 slip and fall to the ground. While it was obvious that Chris did step on Steph's foot, it was too late, and all he could do was watch Curry drain a mid-range jumper.
"Yeah, that was funny… I absolutely stepped on his foot. It don't matter," CP3 admitted on "TheTylilShow Live."
"At the time, everything was so heightened and whatnot… I actually posted on Instagram after that. Like, it was all these memes or whatever afterward and Steph and their team was taking off at that time, so it don't matter. Everybody was happy to see me (go down). Straight up," he added.
Getting on the wrong end of a highlight reel is very common in a league as exciting as the NBA. However, as Paul noted, younger guys today are often afraid of it. With the rise of highlight culture and social media presence, it feels like players are hesitant to give their best on defense or to challenge every shot at the rim, just so they don't see themselves on the wrong end of a clip. For CP3, though, it's all part of playing good defense.
"Damn right! You play defense enough… A lot of young guys, they don't want to play defense. They scared somebody gonna cross them up or dunk on them or something like that. But if you play enough, it's gonna happen to you," the future Hall of Famer concluded.
In the end, it just meant Paul saw himself in a meme or two, but ultimately, getting crossed over by the greatest shooter of all time, and one of the best ball handlers as well, is nothing to be ashamed of. It's a highlight he's proud to have been a part of, and one more story in a career defined by leadership, skill, and competition.
Related: Chris Paul lauds San Antonio Spurs as the best organization he has played for
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
