Giannis Antetokounmpo Calls It ‘Amazing’ That Chris Paul ‘Can Still Play At A High Level’ In His 16th Season

While it took him a little longer than he’d have liked, Chris Paul has finally gotten a team to the NBA Finals. And in the eyes of the star of the other team his Phoenix Suns are playing, what Paul has been able to do to get them to this point has been nothing short of amazing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke to the media on Saturday afternoon and praised the way Paul has performed during his first year in Phoenix and his 16th in the league. While he stressed that “we gotta compete against him, we gotta make it as tough as possible for him” when they step onto the floor, Antetokounmpo took some time to marvel at the “high level” Paul’s played at during the Finals.

“It’s amazing, everything that he’s accomplished,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s amazing that he can still play at a high level. Growing up, we all knew who Chris Paul was, but at the same time, you know you gotta go out there and compete. This is the NBA Finals, it’s the playoffs, you gotta compete against those guys. But, like, he’s a great player, and he’s proven it year after year after year, and he’s helping his team do some great stuff right now.”

Paul’s averaged 19.3 points and 8.7 assists per game this postseason, and while the sample size his small, he’s been even better through two Finals games — 27.5 points and 8.5 assists while connecting on 56.4 percent of his field goal attempts and 58.3 percent of his threes. It has been breathtaking to watch, both for onlookers and, apparently, those who are tasked with trying to beat the Suns.