Paul George facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paul George

George with the Indiana Pacers in 2014
No. 8 – Philadelphia 76ers
Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1990-05-02) May 2, 1990 (age 35) Palmdale, California, U.S.
High school	Knight (Palmdale, California)
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	Fresno State (2008–2010)
NBA Draft	2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall
Selected by the Indiana Pacers
Pro career	2010–present
League	NBA
Career history
2010–2017	Indiana Pacers
2017–2019	Oklahoma City Thunder
2019–2024	Los Angeles Clippers
2024–present	Philadelphia 76ers
Career highlights and awards
9× NBA All-Star (2013, 2014, 2016–2019, 2021, 2023, 2024) All-NBA First Team (2019) 5× All-NBA Third Team (2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021) 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2014, 2019) 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2013, 2016) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2011) NBA Most Improved Player (2013) NBA steals leader (2019) Second-team All-WAC (2010) No. 24 retired by Fresno State Bulldogs
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team

Paul George (born May 2, 1990) is a famous American professional basketball player. He plays for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). People often call him "PG-13". He has been chosen as an NBA All-Star nine times. He is also known for being a great player on both offense and defense.

Paul played basketball in high school and then for the Fresno State Bulldogs in college. The Indiana Pacers picked him 10th in the 2010 NBA draft. In his first year, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In 2013, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player and became an All-Star for the first time. He helped his team reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

In 2014, Paul had a serious leg injury while playing for the USA national team. He missed most of the 2014–15 season. But he worked hard to get better and became an All-Star again in 2016. That same year, he won an Olympic gold medal. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017 and played there for two seasons. In 2019, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers made it to the playoffs several times with him, including their first trip to the Conference Finals in 2021. As of 2024, Paul George plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Early Life and Basketball Dreams

Paul George was born in Palmdale, California. His parents are Paul and Paulette George. He has two older sisters, Teiosha and Portala. Teiosha played basketball, and Portala played volleyball in college. Paul looked up to Kobe Bryant, a famous Lakers star. He grew up cheering for the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. Paul spent a lot of his free time playing basketball at the park. He often played one-on-one games against his older sister, Teiosha. He went to Knight High School and played for an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team called Pump and Run.

High School Basketball Journey

Paul went to Knight High School in Palmdale. In his second year, he started on the junior varsity team. He moved up to the main varsity team during that season. College recruiters started to notice Paul in the summer of 2007. This was when he played in AAU tournaments. His coach saw his potential and gave him a main role in his senior year.

That year, Paul led Knight High School to win the Golden League championship. He was named the Golden League Most Valuable Player. He also won the Antelope Valley Press Player of the Year award. He was part of the Daily News All-Area Boys' basketball team for 2007–08. In his senior year, he averaged 23.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.

At first, colleges did not see Paul as a top player. Rivals.com rated him as a three-star recruit. He was ranked 20th among California players that year. Paul first decided to go to Santa Clara. This was the first school to offer him a scholarship. But his high school coach thought he should look at other options. So, he changed his mind. After visiting Pepperdine University, he decided to commit there in August 2007. However, he changed his mind again when the coach, Vance Walberg, left the program. In the end, he chose Fresno State. He picked Fresno State because it was closer to his home. This meant his family could watch his games. He also liked the campus.

College Career Highlights

Paul George played two years at California State University, Fresno, also known as Fresno State. In his first game for the Bulldogs, he scored 14 points. This helped his team win against Sacramento State. In the next game, Paul scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Even though his team lost, he made a memorable one-handed dunk. This dunk was so good that it was named SportsCenter's number 1 "Play of the Day."

On February 9, 2009, he scored a career-high 29 points. This helped the Bulldogs win 88–82 against Boise State. In the 2009 WAC tournament, the Bulldogs played against Hawaii. They moved on to the quarterfinal against Utah State Aggies. In that game, Paul made a career-high 5 steals. He also scored 16 points, but the Bulldogs lost. The team finished the season with 13 wins and 21 losses. They did not make it to the NCAA tournament. Paul led the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in minutes played. He was also second in 3-point shooting, steals, and steals per game. His 3-point shooting was the third best in Fresno State history. He started all 34 games. He averaged 14.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.

Before his second year, Sports Illustrated named him one of the most entertaining players in college basketball. On January 21, 2010, he hurt his right ankle. He missed the next four games. He came back on February 11 and scored a career-high 30 points. This helped his team win against New Mexico State. In the 2010 WAC tournament, he scored 22 points and had 11 rebounds. But his team lost to Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinals. The team ended the season with 15 wins and 18 losses. Paul averaged 16.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.2 steals. He was named to the All-WAC Second-Team.

On November 10, 2019, Fresno State honored Paul by retiring his number 24 jersey.

Professional Basketball Journey

Starting with the Indiana Pacers (2010–2017)

Getting Drafted and First Season

On March 31, 2010, Paul George announced he would leave college early. He decided to enter the 2010 NBA draft. Experts predicted he would be picked around 12th overall. An anonymous scout even said that Paul George would be the best player from his draft class in five years. The Indiana Pacers chose Paul George as the tenth overall pick. This made him the highest NBA draft pick ever from Fresno State. On July 1, 2010, he signed his first contract with the Pacers.

Paul made his NBA debut on October 27 against the San Antonio Spurs. He played 23 minutes and scored 4 points. In a game against the Washington Wizards, he made five three-pointers. He finished that game with a career-high 23 points. In his first season, Paul averaged 7.8 points and 3.7 rebounds. He started 19 of his 61 games. For the 2011 Playoffs, Paul was one of only two rookies to start for his team. The Pacers lost to the Chicago Bulls in five games. After his first season, Paul was named to the 2011 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Becoming a Star (2011–2013)

On February 3, 2012, Paul George had a great game. He scored 30 points, made 7 three-pointers, and had 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. This helped his team win against the Dallas Mavericks. Paul was chosen to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest and the Rising Stars Challenge during the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend. In the Slam Dunk Contest, he did a 360-degree windmill dunk in the dark. He also dunked over his teammates Dahntay Jones and Roy Hibbert. However, he lost the contest. He finished the 2011–12 season averaging 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds. He started all 66 games for the Pacers. After beating the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs, the Pacers lost to the Miami Heat in six games.

In his first two NBA seasons, Paul mainly played as a shooting guard. But in his third season, Danny Granger was injured. Paul started playing as a small forward and became the main scorer for the Pacers. On November 21, 2012, Paul made nine three-pointers. He scored a career-high 37 points in a win against the New Orleans Hornets. These nine three-pointers broke the Pacers' record for most three-pointers in a single game. Paul was named the NBA's Player of the Week for the first time in December. On February 13, 2013, he got his first career triple-double. He had 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists against the Charlotte Bobcats. That same season, Paul was chosen for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game. He scored 17 points in the game. He averaged career highs of 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He was the only player in the league with at least 140 steals and 50 blocks. At the end of the season, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player.

In Game 1 of the 2013 NBA playoffs, Paul recorded his first playoff triple-double. He had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists against the Atlanta Hawks. On May 13, 2013, Paul was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, Paul made a three-pointer to tie the game and force overtime. The Pacers lost to the Heat in 7 games. Paul was also named to the All-NBA Third Team.

Leading the Pacers (2013–2014)

George with the Pacers in 2014

On September 25, 2013, the Indiana Pacers extended Paul George's contract. This was a big deal for him. The Pacers started the 2013–14 season with a 9–0 record. This was the first time in their history. Paul had 31 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals in a win against the Detroit Pistons. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The Pacers' undefeated streak ended at 9–0 against the Bulls. On December 2, 2013, he scored a career-high 43 points. The next day, Paul was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for November. He led the Pacers to a 15–1 record that month.

The Pacers finished the regular season with a great 56–26 record. In the 2014 playoffs, the Pacers beat the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards. In Game 4 against the Wizards, Paul scored a playoff career-high 39 points. The Pacers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Miami Heat for the third year in a row. Paul was named to the All-NBA Third Team and the All-Defensive First Team.

Tough Injury and Comeback (2014–2016)

Players on the US national team react after George suffered a serious leg injury during the fourth quarter of an intra-squad scrimmage on August 1, 2014

In the 2014 off-season, Paul was chosen for the US national team. This team would play in the World Cup in Spain. Paul was almost certain to make the team. But on August 1, he landed badly during a scrimmage game. He broke both bones in his lower right leg. After the injury, the coach, Mike Krzyzewski, stopped the game out of respect for Paul. Paul had surgery right away. He was expected to miss the entire 2014–15 season.

Paul wanted to play at some point during the season. In late September, he was allowed to put weight on his leg. By late October, he was shooting baskets in practice. He joined his first full practice on February 26, earlier than expected. On April 5, Paul returned to play for the Pacers. This was his first game since his injury. He scored 13 points in 15 minutes. He made two important three-pointers, helping the Pacers win against the Miami Heat. He played the final six games of the season.

In the Pacers' first game of the 2015–16 season, Paul scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds. On November 6, he scored 36 points in a win against the Miami Heat. Three days later, he scored 27 points, with 19 of them in the first quarter. On November 24, Paul scored 40 points and made seven three-pointers. The Pacers made a franchise-record 19 three-pointers in that game. On December 3, he was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month. He led the Eastern Conference in scoring, averaging 27.2 points per game. Two days later, he scored a career-high 48 points in an overtime loss.

Paul played for the Eastern Conference in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game. He started the game and was the top scorer with 41 points. He was just one point shy of the All-Star game record. On March 19, he scored 45 points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Paul helped the Pacers get back to the playoffs in 2016. They finished as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

On April 16, 2016, Paul played in his first playoff game since 2014. He scored 33 points in a win against the Toronto Raptors. In Game 5, Paul scored 39 points, but the Pacers lost. The Pacers lost the series in seven games. After the 2015–16 season, Paul joined the USA national team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Final Season with Pacers (2016–2017)

George defending LeBron James in 2017

In the Pacers' first game of the 2016–17 season, Paul scored 25 points. On November 1, he scored 30 points, including the Pacers' last 12 points. This helped them win against the Los Angeles Lakers. On December 10, he scored a season-high 37 points. He scored 13 points in a row in the fourth quarter. On January 29, 2017, he scored 33 points. This was his fourth straight game scoring over 30 points. On March 15, 2017, he made six three-pointers. He scored 27 of his season-high 39 points in the second half. On April 2, 2017, he scored 43 points in a double overtime loss. On April 14, 2017, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for April. He averaged 32.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. The Pacers won 5 of 6 games during this time. This helped them get a spot in the playoffs.

In Game 3 of the playoffs against Cleveland, Paul scored 36 points. He also had a playoff career-high 15 rebounds and nine assists. The Pacers led by 25 points at halftime. But they lost the game 119–114 and were down 3–0 in the series.

Iman Shumpert defending Paul George in 2017

Time with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2017–2019)

First Season with Thunder (2017–2018)

On July 6, 2017, Paul George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder got him even though he had said he wanted to join the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first game for the Thunder on October 19, 2017, Paul scored 28 points. On November 10, 2017, he scored a season-high 42 points in a win against the Los Angeles Clippers. He made 13 of 22 shots and had nine rebounds and seven assists. On December 27, Paul scored 33 points against the Toronto Raptors. He made 7 of 10 three-pointers, tying a Thunder record.

On January 20, 2018, he scored 36 points in a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. On January 27, 2018, Paul was chosen to play in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. On February 1, 2018, he scored a season-high 43 points in a loss. In the Thunder's last regular season game on April 11, 2018, Paul scored 40 points. He made eight of 14 three-pointers.

In Game 1 of the playoffs against the Utah Jazz, Paul scored 36 points. He set a new Oklahoma City playoff record with eight three-pointers. In Game 4, Paul scored 32 points in a loss. In Game 5, Paul had 34 points and eight rebounds. The Thunder came back from being down 25 points to win. But the Thunder lost Game 6 and were out of the playoffs.

Second Season with Thunder (2018–2019)

Paul decided to stay with the Thunder. On July 6, 2018, he signed a new four-year contract. On November 8, he had 20 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and six steals. This helped the Thunder win seven games in a row. On November 14, he scored a season-high 35 points. On December 5, he scored 25 of his 47 points in the fourth quarter. He made a game-winning three-pointer with 3.1 seconds left. On December 19, he had 43 points and 12 rebounds. On December 22, he had 43 points and 14 rebounds in a win against the Jazz.

On January 29, he scored 31 of his 37 points in the first half. On February 1, he scored 43 points and made a career-high 10 three-pointers. On February 5, he scored 39 points. This was his fifth straight game scoring at least 37 points. On February 9, he scored 45 points. On February 11, he got his third career triple-double. He had 47 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. On February 22, he scored 45 points. He made the game-winning shot with 0.8 seconds left in double overtime. On February 26, Paul hurt his shoulder. This caused his three-point shooting to drop. He was still named Western Conference Player of the Month for February. The Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs. Paul had two surgeries on his shoulder during the off-season.

Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers (2019–2024)

First Season with Clippers (2019–2020)

On July 10, 2019, the Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers. He missed the first eleven games of the season while recovering from his shoulder surgeries. Paul made his Clippers debut on November 14, 2019. He scored 33 points in a loss. Two days later, in his first home game, Paul scored 37 points in just 20 minutes. On December 9, Paul returned to Indiana. He scored 36 points and had nine rebounds against his former team, the Pacers. Four days later, Paul scored a season-high 46 points. He and Kawhi Leonard became the first duo in Clippers history to each score 40 points in a game.

During the 2020 NBA Playoffs in Orlando, Paul faced criticism for his inconsistent play. In 13 playoff games, he averaged 20.2 points per game. This was his lowest playoff scoring average since his third NBA season. He shot 39.8% from the field. Paul was especially blamed for the Clippers' loss to the Denver Nuggets. The team had a 3–1 lead in the series but lost. In Game 7 against the Nuggets, Paul scored only 10 points. He failed to score in the fourth quarter. Fans online gave him the nickname "Pandemic P."

Success and Injuries (2020–2023)

On December 10, 2020, Paul signed a new four-year contract with the Clippers. On December 22, Paul scored 33 points, with 26 in the second half. This led the Clippers to a win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. In Game 6 of the Conference Semifinals against the Utah Jazz, Paul had 28 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. This led the Clippers to the Western Conference Finals for the first time ever. Playing against the Phoenix Suns in his third career Conference Finals, Paul scored a playoff career-high 41 points. He also had 13 rebounds and six assists in a key Game 5 victory. The Clippers eventually lost to the Suns in Game 6.

On October 29, 2021, Paul scored a season-high 42 points. On December 6, Paul sprained his elbow. He missed the next five games. On December 25, the Clippers announced that Paul had a torn ligament in his right elbow. He was out for at least 3 to 4 weeks. On March 29, 2022, in his first game back from injury, Paul scored 34 points. On April 9, Paul tied his career best with 12 assists.

On October 22, 2022, Paul scored 40 points. This was the 20th time in his career he scored 40 points or more. On October 31, Paul had 35 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and six steals. He also made a game-winning shot. On December 14, Paul recorded his fourth career triple-double. He had 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. On December 31, Paul scored a season-high 45 points against his former team, the Indiana Pacers.

On March 5, 2023, Paul scored 42 points and had 11 rebounds. On March 21, he hurt his right leg in a loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The next day, the Clippers said Paul had a right knee sprain. This ended his regular season.

Final Season with Clippers (2023–2024)

On October 28, 2023, Paul George scored 36 points. He made all 15 of his free throws. On December 2, Paul had 25 points, six rebounds, and six assists. He also made a game-winning three-pointer.

On January 12, 2024, Paul scored 37 points. He shot very well, making 12 of 18 shots. On January 16, Paul scored a season-high 38 points. He had seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals. The Clippers were down by 13 points at the start of the third quarter. Paul scored 11 of the Clippers' final 14 points to help them win.

On April 1, Paul scored a season-high 41 points against the Charlotte Hornets. On April 7, Paul scored 39 points, with 23 in the fourth quarter. He also had 11 rebounds and seven assists. Paul made the go-ahead basket and then a block in the final play. The Clippers came back from being down by 26 points. This was the biggest comeback in their team's history.

In Game 3 of the 2024 playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, Paul scored only 7 points. In the next game, Paul had 33 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals. He made a key corner three-pointer late in the fourth quarter. The Clippers lost the series to the Mavericks in six games.

On June 29, 2024, Paul decided not to take his player option with the Clippers. This made him a free agent.

Joining the Philadelphia 76ers (2024–Present)

On July 6, 2024, Paul George signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. His previous jersey numbers, 24 and 13, were already retired by the 76ers. So, Paul chose to wear jersey number 8. This was a tribute to Kobe Bryant, who was from Philadelphia. On November 4, Paul made his 76ers debut. He scored 15 points, had five rebounds, and four assists. He had missed the first five games of the season due to a bone bruise in his knee. On December 16, Paul scored 33 points, had five rebounds, and eight assists. He also made six three-pointers. This allowed him to pass Jason Terry for tenth place in all-time three-pointers made. On December 28, Paul passed Vince Carter for ninth place in all-time three-pointers made.

How Paul George Plays

NBA.com lists Paul George's height as 6 feet 8 inches. Early in his career, he played as a shooting guard. But later, he moved to the small forward position. This happened because Lance Stephenson, another Pacers player, became better at handling the ball. This allowed Paul to play more without the ball. At first, Paul found it hard to create his own shots. He also needed to improve his ball handling. He worked on this with his trainer in 2012. When Danny Granger was injured in the 2012–13 season, Paul took on more responsibility for scoring. This led to him winning the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

Paul George is known as one of the best defenders in the NBA. He is also very athletic. He is known for his high-flying dunks. He took part in the Slam Dunk Contest in 2012 and 2014. After a game in 2014, the Nuggets coach, Brian Shaw, called Paul "the best two-way player in the game." A two-way player is someone who is great at both offense and defense. Paul's fast improvement made an ESPN writer call him the NBA's most unusual superstar. The writer wondered if anyone in the NBA had ever gotten better faster than Paul George.

In August 2014, Paul changed his jersey number from 24 to 13. This gave him the nickname "PG-13," which was easier to market. He gave all his old jerseys to his high school in Palmdale, California.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Personal Life

Paul George is married to Daniela Rajic. They got engaged in November 2020 and married in June 2022. They have two daughters and a son named after him.

Paul is also a co-host of a podcast called "Podcast P with Paul George." He hosts it with actor Jackie Long and his AAU teammate Dallas Rutherford. Many NBA players have been guests on the show.

Paul signed a deal with Nike when he was a rookie. He had his own line of shoes and clothes from 2017 to 2022. In 2024, Paul announced that Nike would bring back his older sneaker models.

Images for kids

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  Paul George driving to the basket while being guarded by Anthony Tolliver in 2014

See also

In Spanish: Paul George para niños

• List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders