Is Chris Paul is one of the most overrated players in the 21st Century?

[Drygon]

I believe we need to have a genuin conversation about where Chris Paul does truely belong in NBA history. He's regulary mentioned as a top 5 point guard to ever play. But when you really look at his legacy on a microscope, there are serious questions about whether that status is actually justified.

Don't get me wrong: CP3 is one of the smartest players to ever step on an NBA court. His playmaking, control of pace & ability to elevate teams are elite.

But when you strip away the name value & look at his peak production, playoff resume, and context... then CP3's case for top 5 starts to fall apart.

Here’s what stands out

Exhibit 1) He has never made the Western Conference Finals as the best player on his team.

- During the Lob City Clippers era, when CP3 was the best player, they never got past the 2nd round
- In 2018, James Harden led the Rockets
- In 2021, Devin Booker was the primary scorer for the Suns

CP3's career high in PPG is 22.8, and he’s never been a dominant playoff scorer or someone who could carry a team deep as a number 1 offensive option

Exhibit 2) CP3’s had notable playoff collapses

- A 3–1 lead blown in 2015
- Back-to-back elimination games lost in the 2021 Finals
- Multiple injury-plagued exits, but also moments where he underperformed

Exhibit 3) CP3's accolades

- CP3 made 4 All-NBA First Teams during his prime from 2008 to 2014
- Point guard competition at the time wasn’t as stacked. He was up against guys like Deron Williams, Rondo, early Westbrook & Tony Parker
- If he played in today’s era, would he really be getting First Team nods over Luka, Curry, Shai, or even Dame? Hard to imagine.

Exhibit 4) CP3's longevity

- One of the reasons CP3 is still ranked so highly is because of how long he’s stayed relevant. But honestly, his longevity has overshadowed how good or not great his actual peak was. Kinda similar case to Vince Carter to a certain extent.

- CP3 was always solid, efficient, and smart, but he was never the kind of force that could take over playoff games like Steph, Magic, or even Luka when he played some point

Summary

CP3 is a Hall of Famer. One of the smartest and most consistent point guards to ever play.

But top 5 of all time? When he’s never made a WCF as the undisputed clear number one, never had a dominant scoring peak, and benefited from a less competitive PG era?

CP3 might be more like Tyrese Haliburton with elite defense and better decision-making than an all-time franchise-carrying point guard.

[Meticode]

I don't think Chris Paul is overrated at all. He's rated about where he should be. He's going to be thought back on similar to Barkley. Top 10 player at this position all time, but just could never win it. Barkley obviously had the higher peak, he won MVP and was in the conversation for it multiple times, but just thinking back they'll be looked at similar I think.

Barkley vs Paul Comparison: https://www.landofbasketball.com/player_comparison/charles_barkley_vs_chris_paul.htm

[warriorfan]

Well we want to marry them all the time but realistically basketball ability and legacy are two very different things.

You can be a damn good player and still have a tarnished legacy. A lot of the time it’s not like this and players earn their legacy whether it’s in a positive or negative light. But there are definitely times where a player’s legacy gets boosted past his ability or vice versa because of certain circumstances.

[bdonovan]

CP3 strikes me as being good at almost everything, but not exceptional. Exceptional players can do some or most of the following: create their own shot against almost anyone, beat people off the dribble, be a defensive force, brilliant passer. They can find ways to beat any team and empower their team to do it.

CP3 manages an offense well, a good passer, a good mid-range shooter, above-average handles.

But there was some truth to PatBev saying he ate a steak the night before playing against CP3.
https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/patbev-hilariously-compares-preparation-for-steph-cp3/1414888/


"Do guys in the NBA go to sleep early the night before playing the Phoenix Suns? Hell no," Beverley said. "...I'm going to Steak 44 over there in Phoenix, I'm having a nice little wine, probably sweat it out at the pregame shoot-around and get ready for Chris Paul.

"Steph Curry? I'm going to bed at eight o'clock. Mom don't call me, my girl don't call me, I'm locked in right now. It's two different monsters."

Yeah there's some animosity between those two, but it also illustrates the difference defense feels against an elite players vs a very-good player.

[warriorfan]

CP3 strikes me as being good at almost everything, but not exceptional. Exceptional players can do some or most of the following: create their own shot against almost anyone, beat people off the dribble, be a defensive force, brilliant passer. They can find ways to beat any team and empower their team to do it.

CP3 manages an offense well, a good passer, a good mid-range shooter, above-average handles.

But there was some truth to PatBev saying he ate a steak the night before playing against CP3.
https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/patbev-hilariously-compares-preparation-for-steph-cp3/1414888/



Yeah there's some animosity between those two, but it also illustrates the difference defense feels against an elite players vs a very-good player.

They are different but also let’s be serious bev is a big time troll trash talker. You gotta take what he says with a grain of salt.

cp3 supposedly smoked everyone one in one on the olympics team when he was young

[LAL]

OP, the answer is no.




CP3 strikes me as being good at almost everything, but not exceptional. Exceptional players can do some or most of the following: create their own shot against almost anyone, beat people off the dribble, be a defensive force, brilliant passer. They can find ways to beat any team and empower their team to do it.

CP3 manages an offense well, a good passer, a good mid-range shooter, above-average handles.

But there was some truth to PatBev saying he ate a steak the night before playing against CP3.
https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/patbev-hilariously-compares-preparation-for-steph-cp3/1414888/



Yeah there's some animosity between those two, but it also illustrates the difference defense feels against an elite players vs a very-good player.

Are you describing lebron? CP3 is one of few players with no weaknesses??

Does everything on a high or highest level, including DEFENSIVELY.

Nobody rates him above Steph freaking Curry but he does many things
better than Steph and others.

If you want to talk about him having zero rings go ahead, but it's really pointless
because not all greats win, and he's one of the best point guards ever.

[warriorfan]

cp3 has no rings and a tainted legacy, isn’t cool, unlikeable as **** any way you slice it. Regardless of all that dude was insanely good at basketball and even though I hate to admit it because I don’t like him for above mentioned reasons, I will still admit it.

[tpols]

He's incredibly smart / skilled but at the same time a huge narc and coward.

[Neal Romer]

I think Paul is a hard player to define as overrated or underrated, because opinions of him seem to vary so widely. There doesnt really seem to be any kind of consensus that you could say either overrates or underrates him.

[90sgoat]

He was a choker for some reason.

The Tracy McGrady of point guards.

Talent wise as good as the best, but it became a career to choke.

[Im Still Ballin]

Injuries in almost every playoff run.

[Chick Stern]

OP, the answer is no.





Are you describing lebron? CP3 is one of few players with no weaknesses??

Does everything on a high or highest level, including DEFENSIVELY.

Nobody rates him above Steph freaking Curry but he does many things
better than Steph and others.

If you want to talk about him having zero rings go ahead, but it's really pointless
because not all greats win, and he's one of the best point guards ever.
No weaknesses?
Dude NEVER goes left. If he’s moving left, he’s passing almost always.

https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/phillymademe/13073602/62568/62568_original.gif

[Baller234]

I'm not willing to knock off points because he doesn't have a ring. It prevents him from being mentioned among the all time pantheon greats but he's still the best point guard of his generation if you ask me. Kidd and Nash had set the bar pretty high in the 2000's but when Paul first emerged as a superstar on the Hornets I thought he was better than both of them.

You look at the list of the best players Paul had throughout his career and it's not exactly a hall of fame lineup. The few times he played with elite talent (Harden, Booker) he went the WCF and the finals. In fact if he doesn't get injured those Rockets might beat the Warriors.

God tier (Transformed the position, untouchable legends, were permanent All-NBA 1st-teamers)

- Magic Johnson
- Oscar Robertson
- Bob Cousy

2nd Tier (Best of their day, led teams to championships)

- Isiah Thomas
- Walt Frazier
- Nate Archibald

3rd Tier (Amazing careers, indisputably the best, but didn't win)

- Chris Paul
- Steve Nash
- Jason Kidd

That's how I see it, so he's anywhere from 7-9 depending on how you compare him to Nash and Kidd. Personally I would put him over them but it's a debate for sure.

[bdonovan]

They are different but also let’s be serious bev is a big time troll trash talker. You gotta take what he says with a grain of salt.

cp3 supposedly smoked everyone one in one on the olympics team when he was young

Yeah I know he is, but we laugh in part because there's an element of truth to it. For instance, if he said this about SGA or Ja, I don't know how credible it is.

[bdonovan]

OP, the answer is no.





Are you describing lebron? CP3 is one of few players with no weaknesses??

Does everything on a high or highest level, including DEFENSIVELY.

Nobody rates him above Steph freaking Curry but he does many things
better than Steph and others.

If you want to talk about him having zero rings go ahead, but it's really pointless
because not all greats win, and he's one of the best point guards ever.


Yeah he probably does. But there is just something you can sense about an elite player who can terrorize the other team, pick it apart through the kind of things no one else can do. In the nba, they're all freakishly athletic, but some are practically aliens even amidst such world-class athletes.

[bdonovan]

No weaknesses?
Dude NEVER goes left. If he’s moving left, he’s passing almost always.

https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/phillymademe/13073602/62568/62568_original.gif

I never said he has no weaknesses.

[John8204]

The arguments I would make for CPIII as being underrated...

-He's one of the top five players to never win an MVP. That might not seem like a big deal to some but as a Wrestling fan I think their is more prestige in being historically relevant by not winning over winning and having it look mickey mouse.

- He's the closest anyone can or will come to touching Stockton's records. Right now he's second in steals and assists and John's records are unbreakable. This is important because the Rushmore of Basketball records is going to end up being Lebron, Jordan, Wilt and Stockton.

- He's won on basically every team he's been on, and when he leaves the teams collapse horribly. Most people rank Durant ahead of Paul...but Paul made a title run with DeAndre Ayton and Durant missed the playin with Bradley Beal.

- He played in the dynasty era when he was athletically in his peak and now he's playing in the parity era at the end of his career. And his best shot at a ring was stolen from him by the league. We'll never know how good Kobe/CPIII was going to be.

[SouBeachTalents]

I'm not willing to knock off points because he doesn't have a ring. It prevents him from being mentioned among the all time pantheon greats but he's still the best point guard of his generation if you ask me. Kidd and Nash had set the bar pretty high in the 2000's but when Paul first emerged as a superstar on the Hornets I thought he was better than both of them.

You look at the list of the best players Paul had throughout his career and it's not exactly a hall of fame lineup. The few times he played with elite talent (Harden, Booker) he went the WCF and the finals. In fact if he doesn't get injured those Rockets might beat the Warriors.

God tier (Transformed the position, untouchable legends, were permanent All-NBA 1st-teamers)

- Magic Johnson
- Oscar Robertson
- Bob Cousy

2nd Tier (Best of their day, led teams to championships)

- Isiah Thomas
- Walt Frazier
- Nate Archibald

3rd Tier (Amazing careers, indisputably the best, but didn't win)

- Chris Paul
- Steve Nash
- Jason Kidd

That's how I see it, so he's anywhere from 7-9 depending on how you compare him to Nash and Kidd. Personally I would put him over them but it's a debate for sure.
Nate Archibald being an entire tier ahead of CP3/Nash/Kidd, when he literally missed the playoffs 8 of his first 9 years in the league before joining Boston, and getting credit as having "led" the Celtics to a championship is one of the wildest takes you'll see all year :lol.

I know rankings are subjective, but that's just indefensibly bad imo. Cousy being tier one is absolutely ridiculous as well, ditto Isiah & Frazier being an entire tier ahead of that trio solely on the basis of rings. You can't judge players by rings to this ridiculous of an extent.

[999Guy]

CP3 strikes me as being good at almost everything, but not exceptional. Exceptional players can do some or most of the following: create their own shot against almost anyone, beat people off the dribble, be a defensive force, brilliant passer. They can find ways to beat any team and empower their team to do it.

CP3 manages an offense well, a good passer, a good mid-range shooter, above-average handles.

But there was some truth to PatBev saying he ate a steak the night before playing against CP3.
https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/patbev-hilariously-compares-preparation-for-steph-cp3/1414888/



Yeah there's some animosity between those two, but it also illustrates the difference defense feels against an elite players vs a very-good player.
Prime Chris Paul was 100% an elite scorer.

And Pat Bev got 41 put on his head by CP3 in that series to lose it. And that was an old, post-post-injury CP3. Dude blew a meniscus, tore a hamstring, and limped his way to the finals as a 35 year old in Phoenix.

His only true weakness was injuries. If not for those, he would’ve been 10 percent more explosive in his Clippers years. His Phoenix years would’ve probably looked in his Clipper ones. And is his Clipper years he would’ve competed with LeBron and KD for MVP’s. Just a completely different scale of dominance and career outlook.

[Baller234]

Nate Archibald being an entire tier ahead of CP3/Nash/Kidd, when he literally missed the playoffs 8 of his first 9 years in the league before joining Boston, and getting credit as having "led" the Celtics to a championship is one of the wildest takes you'll see all year :lol.

I know rankings are subjective, but that's just indefensibly bad imo. Cousy being tier one is absolutely ridiculous as well, ditto Isiah & Frazier being an entire tier ahead of that trio solely on the basis of rings. You can't judge players by rings to this ridiculous of an extent.

Nate Archibald led the league in points and assists for a season. He is the only player ever to do so. In his prime he was a multiple time 1st teamer. I'd say he was pretty effing good. Injury cut his prime short but he makes my 2nd tier because his peak was so high.

Yes Archibald led the Celtics, it doesn't mean he was their sole best player but he was their starting point guard and the veteran leader on the team. He was the engine and the glue guy, probably their 2nd most important player. Not many other PG's that year who could run the floor but also score.

If there was anything in my post to take issue with it, it should have been Kidd. Because it just occurred to me he actually did win a championship in Dallas and I put him on the "didn't win" tier. I still feel the same about it though because I don't feel like he was close to being irreplaceable on that team.

As for guys like Frazier and Cousy, you're just showing your ignorance. These guys were legends, champions, top tier stars, perennial All-NBA guys. Cousy's nickname was "Mr. Basketball" and he was arguably the first basketball star in America.

[Norcaliblunt]

Durant should have gone to the Clippers in 2016.

Or Paul should have went to OKC.

Blake for Durant in a sign and trade.

Or Westbrook for Paul.

But Paul and Durant needed to team up.

That would’ve completely altered history and legacy.

[jayfan]

Yes.

He's both great and overrated.


.

[Nowoco]

I'm not willing to knock off points because he doesn't have a ring. It prevents him from being mentioned among the all time pantheon greats but he's still the best point guard of his generation if you ask me. Kidd and Nash had set the bar pretty high in the 2000's but when Paul first emerged as a superstar on the Hornets I thought he was better than both of them.

You look at the list of the best players Paul had throughout his career and it's not exactly a hall of fame lineup. The few times he played with elite talent (Harden, Booker) he went the WCF and the finals. In fact if he doesn't get injured those Rockets might beat the Warriors.

God tier (Transformed the position, untouchable legends, were permanent All-NBA 1st-teamers)

- Magic Johnson
- Oscar Robertson
- Bob Cousy

2nd Tier (Best of their day, led teams to championships)

- Isiah Thomas
- Walt Frazier
- Nate Archibald

3rd Tier (Amazing careers, indisputably the best, but didn't win)

- Chris Paul
- Steve Nash
- Jason Kidd

That's how I see it, so he's anywhere from 7-9 depending on how you compare him to Nash and Kidd. Personally I would put him over them but it's a debate for sure.

Funny how Gary Payton is a mish mash of all three of those without being one.

1st tier - Transformed the position in the sense that he showed how good a defender a PG can be and of course was the first PG to win DPOY.

2nd tier - Was the best two way PG for 10 years. 2 first team, 5 second team All-NBA. Won a championship but not as the leader.

3rd tier - Amazing career, came close but didnt win when he was the alpha.