The NBA stars from the early 2000s have come and gone, but a few remain in the league. LeBron James and Chris Paul both stand out as outliers, as each of them has continued to play at a high level despite being in their mid-30s.
Both have had vastly different careers. James entered the league as a rookie phenom who has won four rings so far. He's attempting to earn his fifth NBA title this season. Whereas Chris Paul has yet to win a single championship. However, it's not for a lack of trying. Paul aims to earn his first title this season with the Phoenix Suns.
Both James and Paul have had phenomenal careers. What's also impressive is that each of them has adapted to the new way basketball is played in the NBA. The game is played beyond the arc these days, where that was not the case when they began their careers. Even so, James and Paul have both managed to remain at the top of the league throughout the years.
LeBron James and Chris Paul have aged like fine wine. They've transitioned away from their incredible athleticism to utilizing their mind much more on the court. The experience they possess is second-to-none, which has kept them competitive in the late stages of their careers.
However, the question remains, who has aged better, LeBron James or Chris Paul? Here is a brief history on the two to help find the answer to that question.
LeBron James
LeBron James came straight out of high school and was the most highly anticipated prospect during that time. While attending St. Vincent-St. Mary's, James was able to gain the attention of NBA scouts at an early age. He became the number one pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He spent his first seven years in the league with the Cavaliers but was unable to obtain a title. He took his talents to South Beach after signing a deal with the Miami Heat in 2010. LeBron joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, where the trio won two NBA Championships in four years. After securing those rings, James went back to Cleveland where he won another championship over the star-studded Golden State Warriors.
In the last few years, James has been playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, where he and Anthony Davis led the Lakers to a title win in 2020. Currently participating in the 18th season of his career, James has been able to play as one of the best in the world in nearly two decades. He's been able to average 27.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists throughout his historic career.
ACCOLADES: 4x NBA Champion, 4x NBA Finals MVP, 4x MVP, 17x NBA All-Star, 3x NBA All-Star MVP, 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, 13x All-NBA First Team, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 1 All-NBA Third Team.
Chris Paul
Chris Paul had a vastly different beginning to his NBA career, as he was not as highly coveted as James was during his younger days. Paul had to fight and scratch his way into the NBA at first. During his time in high school at West Forsyth, Paul didn't make the varsity team until his junior year. Paul is famously known for dropping 61 points in a game to honor his grandfather who had recently died at the time.
After high school, Paul attended Wake Forest where he dominated during his two years there. After making his mark in the college basketball world, Chris Paul entered the 2005 draft, where he was selected fourth overall by the (then) New Orleans Hornets.
During his 16-year career, Paul has yet to win an NBA championship. However, he's played like an elite point guard making every team he's played for a contender. He was almost traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to join forces with Kobe Bryant, but the NBA prevented the trade from going through. Instead, he was shipped to the Los Angeles Clippers where he lobbed it up to Blake Griffin for years.
Even though he has played for four different teams in the last five years, Paul is still playing similarly to his younger days. He's been a focal point for the Phoenix Suns this year where the organization is currently ranked second in the Western Conference thanks to Paul's presence.
ACCOLADES: 11x NBA All-Star, 1x NBA All-Star MVP, 2005-06 Rookie of the Year, 9x All-NBA First Team, 9x All-Defensive Team, 6x STL Champion, 4x AST Champion.
The Conclusion
Both athletes are great and will be in the Hall of Fame once they are eligible. There is no doubt they both deserve to be first-ballot Hall of Famers. However, they're both still in the NBA and don't seem like they're going to slow down anytime soon.
There is an argument to be had for both, as they have incredible longevity. Even so, LeBron James has aged better than Chris Paul, as James won a championship just last year and secured the Finals MVP award as well. Additionally, LeBron James has been able to remain in MVP talks in nearly every season of his career, where Chris Paul has not really been in those discussions up until this season. They have each had amazing careers, but at the end of the day, LeBron James has aged better than Chris Paul.
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