“He’s earned a lot more respect from me,” the Warriors’ Kevon Looney said.

SAN ANTONIO — In his introductory lecture, San Antonio Spurs“Chris Paul sent a direct message to his fans: he hates to lose.

“I always say I hate losing more than I hate winning,” the 12-time All-Star said.

Paul, the tough, rugged point guard who ranks third all-time in NBA career assists, has built a reputation over his legendary career as a player who will do anything and everything to win.

Even if it sometimes irritates his teammates.

“Chris had high expectations of all of us, and I think people get caught up in that,” DeAndre Jordan said on the “P with Paul George Podcast.” “I think when you’re young, you’re kind of like, ‘What the hell is this?’”

Say what you will about Paul’s personality on the field or his interactions with his teammates, but the message is clear: he wants to win at all costs.

His former Warriors teammate Kevon Looney gave some insight into what many NBA players have experienced playing with or against the Spurs point guard.

He will compete hard on the field, earn the respect of his team and impart a lot of wisdom.

“After competing with him for years, I already respect him as a player and as a basketball player, but he was always our arch-rival – no matter what team he was on, it was always ‘Chris Paul!’ So he was very hated in our locker room for a long time,” Lonney said in a statement. interview with Brandon Robinson on ScoopB.com. “But having him by our side and fighting to win and going to war with him, he’s earned a lot more respect from me.”


The young Spurs will need that killer instinct on the field as the franchise looks to emerge from its rebuild.

Paul joined a team that was its youngest under Gregg Popovich last year, with an average age of 23.5.

His years of experience should help the development of both the player and the team, even if he is no longer with the Spurs when the rebuild is complete.

“He’s already a Hall of Fame player and I get to learn from him and see his work ethic every day. You see how much he truly loves the game of basketball, how much he cares about growing the game and seeing how the game continues to grow, it’s just incredible,” Looney said. “I’ve learned a lot from him.”

Paul is already training with his new teammates for the 2024-25 season.

His new teammates are eager to get on the court with him and learn from one of the best the NBA has ever seen.

“He’s probably one of the best point guards to ever play in the league,” rookie Stephon Castle said. “I’ve been in touch with CP3 since they announced he was coming to the Spurs.”

RELATED: Spurs rookie Castle says he’s ready to learn from veteran Chris Paul

“I got in touch with Chris Paul when I was in Europe and I also spoke to Harrison Barnes. They’re good guys and great players, so I’m looking forward to working with them and getting ready for the season,” forward Jeremy Sochan said.

RELATED: ‘I’m excited to work with them’ | Spurs’ Sochan says he’s already been in touch with new team-mates Chris Paul, Harrison Barnes

Looney also marvels at Paul’s longevity in the NBA. At 39 and after 19 seasons, he can still have a positive impact on a team, as he did with the Thunder a few years ago and with the Warriors last season.

Last season, he played in 58 games, averaging 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26.4 minutes. He finished the season with the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA at 5.17.

“I’ve learned to be more professional, take care of myself. For him to be in his 20s next year as a small guard and continue to compete at a high level as a starter and as a high-level player, as a player going into his 10s, I want to be able to play like him for a long time,” Looney added. “Being able to see how he takes care of his body and how he looks at the game and loves the game, seeing his thought process has really changed mine as well.”

Paul made it clear he didn’t come to Spurs to “coach” but rather to win and find a place where he could start and contribute. However, he said he takes the challenges of mentoring young players “very seriously”.

Paul’s presence will undoubtedly be felt early and often in Spurs training camp, games and in the locker room.

“I hate to lose,” Paul said.

What do you say, Spurs fans? Let us know on X at KENS 5 And JeffGSpursKENS5.

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