Chris Paul's ex-teammate raves about exact reason he's perfect for Spurs

Chris Paul may be one of the most fascinating players in the history of the NBA. His opponents respect his game, but he's also made a lot of enemies on the hardwood due to his antics, his fiery competitive spirit and his dismissiveness to anything other than winning basketball. If you're not working hard, he'll let you know about it and while that may be endearing to other competitors, it's off-putting to others.

But when he joins a new team, players who once despised him often end up admiring him, holding him up on an elevated pedestal. Golden State Warrior's big man, Kevon Looney, is no different, expressing his love for the Point God in a conversation with Scoop "B" Robinson. When asked about CP3, Looney gave what may have been his longest answer of the interview.

Chris Paul's value is still immense at this stage of his career

When players get older, it's natural to lose a step, but you don't lose your intellect and Chris Paul has a higher basketball IQ than most. He's always known that he can't go anywhere by himself, so investing in his teammates is non-negotiable, and he's done it everywhere he's gone, and it's why he hasn't missed the playoffs when playing the majority of the season in 18 years.

When Paul joined OKC, they were a bunch of young players needing direction and that's exactly what he gave them. They made the playoffs in the one season he was there and taught them a lot. It's not a coincidence that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the craftiest scorers in the NBA. His skills and leadership helped elevate the Thunder to the number-one seed last season. Some of that can be directly attributed to his time spent with Chris Paul.

Phoenix was no different. They hadn't made it to the postseason in years prior to CP3's arrival. He showed them how to win, taking them from 10th in the conference the previous year to second in the West and an NBA Finals appearance. Devin Booker's game exploded after working with Paul. He's now one of the best players in the league consistently.

Even though the Warriors had success before the 19-year vet showed up, Looney's comments show how important he was to him and the rest of the roster. It's the Spurs' turn to reap the benefits of the elite mind of the Point God, and if he can do all of that with those players, wait until he gets time with Victor Wembanyama.