Chris Paul announces NBA retirement after 21 seasons

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Clippers send Chris Paul home in shocking move

It was announced overnight that Chris Paul is no longer with the Clippers.

LOS ANGELES - Chris Paul, the legendary "Point God" who redefined floor generalship for a generation, has officially announced his retirement from the NBA. 

What we know:

Paul, 40, confirmed his decision via an Instagram post on Friday, February 13.

In his retirement statement, Paul reflected on his long journey with gratitude.

"This is it! After over 21 years I'm stepping away from basketball. As I write this, it's hard to really know what to feel, but for once – most people would be surprised – I don't have the answer lol! But, mostly I'm filled with so much joy and gratitude! While this chapter of being an 'NBA player' is done, the game of basketball will forever be engrained in the DNA of my life," he wrote in part. 

The announcement came shortly after the Toronto Raptors officially waived him, following a trade deadline deal from the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month. 

The backstory:

The 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist has earned four All-NBA first team selections, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists. 

He was the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists; LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have both since done that as well.

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Paul became arguably the most accomplished player in Clippers franchise history while leading the team to six winning seasons from 2011-17, including the Clippers’ first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories. Paul returned to Los Angeles as a free agent last July.