Chris Paul’s new Spurs teammate chose the number because of CP3

The San Antonio Spurs made a major move this offseason when they signed veteran point guard and future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul. CP3 will now team up with Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson. Interestingly, Johnson currently wears number 3, but when he was drafted by the Spurs in 2019, he chose that number because he was a fan of Paul.

“Growing up, I was the third kid,” Johnson said in 2020. “And growing up, Chris Paul was my favorite player. I watched a lot of his highlights when I was younger. I was the third kid and it all fell into place.”

This is a heartwarming story. Johnson obviously looked up to Paul, and the number three was just a part of his life in many ways. He was the third kid, and his favorite player wore the number 3. But now he gets the chance to play with his childhood hero, so it’s come full circle. The question is, though, will he keep the number 3, or will he give it up for Paul?

The number 3 has been Paul’s number throughout his career and it is an important part of his brand, so it would be difficult to convince him to give up the number he has worn his entire career. It would be similar to Kobe Bryant wearing a number other than 8 or 24. The number 3 is simply an important part of Paul’s identity and his career.

Johnson will likely be more than willing to give it up for his idol and find a new number. Paul has been in the league since 2005, while Johnson made his debut in 2019, 14 years after Paul. The legendary point guard could potentially be moved by history and willing to give up his old number for a new one, but in all likelihood, Johnson will be the one who has to find a new number.

Either way, the story is heartwarming and now comes full circle as Johnson finally gets the chance to play with the superstar he idolized as a child.