Blake Griffin Shares Unexpected Major Praise for Clippers Legend Chris Paul

"I think all-time Clippers, [Chris Paul] has to be up there, he has to be one," Griffin said. "All-time [point guards], [he's] got to be Top 5 of all-time."

Griffin went on to backtrack a little on calling Paul a Top 5 point guard of all-time, saying he hadn't put much thought into it. However, when it comes to being a traditional floor general and player who elevates the talent around him, there's a strong case for that.

The Chris Paul Effect

Griffin played 338 games in his career alongside Chris Paul, averaging 20.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. His best season came in 2013-14, where he averaged 24.1 points per game and finished third in MVP voting. However, Griffin was actually better in games without Paul, averaging 27.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in the 19 games he played in 2013-14.

However, Griffin is a unique circumstance, because despite his elite lob-threat abilities, he would show later in his career with the Detroit Pistons that he was at his best with the ball in his hands, meaning he and Paul didn't exactly pair up the best.

Regardless, Paul has been able to elevate plenty of other players in his career, such as DeAndre Jordan, David West, Clint Capela, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Devin Booker. Even though he doesn't have a championship to his name, he's still brought a winning culture everywhere he's been, such as leading the OKC Thunder to the playoffs despite improbable odds.

Paul definitely has a case for the Top 5 point guards of all-time, but he's competing against legends like John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Isiah Thomas for those final three spots behind Steph Curry and Magic Johnson.