Chris Paul’s first official statement after leaving the team: I have no regrets and look forward to continuing to contribute.

On December 10th Beijing time, Chris Paul gave an exclusive interview to People magazine while endorsing his snack brand Good Eat'n. This marked Paul’s first official comment since leaving his team. The following is from People magazine’s report—

Paul is attempting to take a brief pause for himself.

Shortly after announcing he would begin his “retirement tour” with the Clippers, he was unexpectedly sent home by the Los Angeles Clippers. Only a few days have passed since this news broke, and the 12-time NBA All-Star is still processing this turbulent experience.

He now says he is coping with the situation in the only way he knows—living in the moment and focusing on the present.

“Let’s just say the past few days have been a bit chaotic,” the 40-year-old Paul admitted. “But honestly, I’m back home now. Yesterday my daughter participated in a tryout, my nephew played a basketball game, and my son has a game on the 12th.”

“I’ve never actually watched my son play live,” Paul added, “whether it was middle school or high school games, I’ve never been there. So being able to watch him this time, I’m really looking forward to it.”

After the news spread, Paul, who has competed in the NBA for 21 seasons, didn’t wait for rumors to circulate and took the initiative to respond. At the time, the Clippers were on a five-game road trip, and he posted a brief, somewhat cryptic message on Instagram: ‘Just found out I’m being sent away,’ accompanied by a peace sign emoji.

When asked about his initial reaction upon hearing the news and why he chose to speak out so quickly, Paul responded calmly and straightforwardly.

“I don’t regret doing that at all,” he said. “I was with a big group of family in Atlanta, and that was supposed to be my last game there. That’s life; the whole situation was beyond my control. But I’m grateful to be back with my family.”

Regarding the future, Paul said he is still watching how the rest of the season unfolds but admitted to a surprising mindset.

“Honestly, I feel very at peace with everything right now,” he said. “More than anything, I’m looking forward to spending time with my family, and I hope to continue contributing in whatever role I play in the next chapter of my life.”

“Basketball has given me and my family so much,” Paul, currently collaborating with WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers on a new chip flavor for his brand, added. “Without basketball, I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet Paige or witness the growth of the next generation of players.”