Bradley Beal Generously Passes No. 3 Jersey to Chris Paul, Honoring His Legacy with the Clippers

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LOS ANGELES (AP)— Chris Paul is set to don his iconic No. 3 jersey again as he makes his way back to the LA Clippers.

According to Lawrence Frank, the president of basketball operations, newly acquired Bradley Beal has agreed to relinquish the number he has worn throughout his NBA career for Paul.

“When Brad found out Chris might be coming on board, he immediately said, ‘I want to give him my number,’ and I don’t think Chris is even aware of this yet,” Frank mentioned during a teleconference on Tuesday. “It’s incredible that Brad made such a generous gesture.”

Frank noted that Beal recognizes the significance of the jersey number to Paul, who is famously known as “CP3.”

Last season, Paul was with the San Antonio Spurs, where forward Keldon Johnson stepped aside from wearing No. 3 to accommodate him. Paul has carried the number since entering the league in 2005.

As for Beal, he has not yet made a decision on which number he will choose for the upcoming season, according to Frank.

Having signed with the Clippers, Paul, a free agent, is expected to enter his 21st and possibly final NBA season, expressing a wish to return to Los Angeles, where his family resides. While he played all 82 games with the Spurs, he will now be coming off the bench for the Clippers.

“Chris is the perfect fit for the role, as long as everyone is clear on what that role entails,” Frank said. “Some nights, Chris will see a lot of playing time, and on others, he may not play as much.”