Introduction: Who Is Paul George?
American professional basketball player Paul George was born on May 2, 1990, in Palmdale, California. He is one of the NBA's best defenders and scorers. George, who is well-known for his exceptional athleticism and versatility, has starred for several clubs throughout his career. At 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 meters) tall, the forward has developed into a complete, all-around player who can make long-range shots, drive hard to the basket, and offer the greatest defense. He now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2022, George married Daniela Rajic, a former model and businesswoman. Together, the couple has three children.
Paul George grew up in the small California suburb of Palmdale, about an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, with his parents, Paul and Pauletta George, and two older sisters, Portala and Teiosha George. His father worked as a carpenter and at a manufacturing company, while his mother stayed at home.
Paul George was a childhood fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, especially star Kobe Bryant, but he also backed the less popular Los Angeles Clippers. When George was ten years old, his mother suffered a serious stroke. During that difficult time, he found comfort in playing basketball, often with his sister Teiosha, who later became a standout player for the women’s basketball team at Pepperdine University.
In high school, Paul George was a quiet and reserved athlete who had potential. George’s former coach told Andscape in 2018 that he was a “late bloomer” who needed encouragement to be more aggressive—taking more shots and driving to the basket. By his senior year, George had taken charge of the team and led them to the state finals. Colleges did not actively recruit him in spite of this accomplishment. He played for California State University, Fresno, where he averaged 15.5 points per game for two seasons before to declaring for the NBA.
In the 2010 NBA Draft, Paul George was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the tenth overall pick. He played in 61 games during his first season, mostly off the bench, and averaged 7.8 points per game. After consistently getting better, George enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2012–13. That season, he averaged 17.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He was nominated to the All-Star and All-NBA Third Team and won Most Improved Player.
His reputation took off as the Pacers exceeded expectations in the playoffs and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. In a fierce seven-game series, the 23-year-old George and the Pacers were upset by the dominant Miami Heat, led by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
During the 2013–14 season, George improved his scoring average to 21.7 points per game, finished sixth in the MVP voting, and was chosen for the First Team All-Defensive squad. The Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals to play the Heat once more. George, who is comparable in size and plays the same position as LeBron James, was praised for another outstanding performance. Indiana, however, was defeated 4–2 in the series.
Paul George joined Team USA in Las Vegas a few months later, in late July 2014, to get ready for the 2014 FIBA World Cup. He landed awkwardly into a basket stanchion during a preseason game on August 1 and sustained a terrible injury: an open fracture of both the tibia and fibula in his right leg. He consequently missed all but six NBA games in 2014–15. In 2015–16, George successfully returned, scoring a career-high 23.1 points per game. George returned to the national team that summer and assisted the United States in winning gold in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, despite the Pacers’ elimination in the first round of the playoffs.
The Pacers had yet another sad first-round playoff exit in 2016–17, despite George having a strong regular season. George’s agent told Indiana in June 2017 that he intended to depart as a free agent following the upcoming season, with the Lakers being his top choice. He was dealt by the Pacers to the Oklahoma City Thunder a few weeks later in return for Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo.
Paul George liked playing with fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook, even if Oklahoma City was not his first choice. After the 2017–18 season, he stunned many by re-signing with the Thunder on a four-year, $137 million contract. Perhaps the best season of his career ensued. George placed third in the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting, averaging a career-high 28 points per game, and led the NBA in thefts (2.2 per game).
The Portland Trail Blazers, led by Damian Lillard, defeated the Thunder in the opening round despite his genius. After being recruited by fellow Southern California native Kawhi Leonard, George made another unexpected step by asking to be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. In July 2019, the Thunder agreed and sent George to the Clippers in a huge trade that also featured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who went on to become a superstar for Oklahoma City, and several first-round draft picks.
It was anticipated that the George-Leonard tandem would make the Clippers a consistent challenger for the championship, but their collaboration proved to be disappointing. The Clippers made it to the playoffs following the COVID-19-shortened 2019–20 season, however they lost a 3–1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets in the second round. Despite just scoring 10 points in the pivotal Game 7, George was criticized by some for being a fantastic player who had trouble performing in the postseason.
The next year, after Leonard sustained a knee injury in the second round, Paul George led the Clippers to their first-ever Western Conference Finals trip, somewhat silencing those detractors. In the conference finals, he averaged 28.7 points per game, but the Clippers were defeated by the Phoenix Suns in six games.
Due to a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Paul George only played 31 games in 2021–2022, and Leonard missed the entire season. He made a good comeback the next season, but in March 2023 he sprained his right knee, missing the rest of the regular season and the Clippers’ first-round playoff series, which ended in a loss. George played 74 games, averaged 22.6 points per game, and was selected as his eighth All-Star during the 2023–24 season while staying healthy. The Clippers were ready for a deep postseason run once more, but Leonard was sidelined by another injury, and the club was eliminated in the opening round.
In July 2024, Paul George joined dominant center Joel Embiid and rising star point guard Tyrese Maxey on a four-year, $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers after becoming a free agency in the offseason. Additionally, George started his own podcast in 2023 called “Podcast P with Paul George,” in which he frequently does interviews with NBA players, both past and present.