Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Paul George

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Paul George made an impact.

Paul George, nicknamed "PG-13", is a professional basketball player currently playing for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. He is celebrated as a nine-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA Team member, and four-time NBA All-Defensive Team member, marking him as one of the league's top two-way players.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2004: Pacers' Eastern Conference Finals Trip

In 2004, the Indiana Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals; a feat the team would not repeat until 2013, when Paul George led them back to the same stage.

2007: AAU Tournament Attention

During the summer of 2007, Paul George's performance in AAU tournaments began attracting the attention of college recruiters.

November 18, 2008: SportsCenter Play of the Day

On November 18, 2008, Paul George made SportsCenter's number 1 "Play of the Day" with a one-handed slam dunk over Mickey McConnell, while playing for Fresno State against Saint Mary's.

February 9, 2009: Career-High 29 Points

On February 9, 2009, Paul George scored a then career-high 29 points to lead Fresno State to an 88–82 victory over Boise State.

March 31, 2010: NBA Draft Declaration

On March 31, 2010, Paul George announced his decision to forgo his final two seasons of college eligibility at Fresno State and enter the 2010 NBA draft.

May 2010: Projected Draft Pick

By May 2010, mock drafts, including those from Draft Express, ESPN.com, and The Hoops Report, predicted that Paul George would be selected 12th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the upcoming NBA draft.

July 1, 2010: Rookie Contract with the Pacers

On July 1, 2010, Paul George signed his rookie contract with the Indiana Pacers, securing a two-year guaranteed deal worth $3.9 million.

2010: NBA Debut

In 2010, Paul George made his NBA debut against the San Antonio Spurs, playing 23 minutes and scoring 4 points.

2010: Drafted by the Indiana Pacers

In 2010, Paul George was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 10th overall pick in the NBA draft and subsequently earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors.

2011: All-Rookie Second Team Selection and Playoffs Appearance

In 2011, Paul George was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, after averaging 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in his first season. He was also one of two rookies to start for his team in the playoffs, where the Pacers lost to the Chicago Bulls.

2011: Lockout-Shortened Season

In the lockout-shortened 2011–12 season, Paul George started all 66 games for the Pacers, averaging 12.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He also competed in the Slam Dunk Contest, performing a 360° windmill dunk in the dark, and dunking over teammates Dahntay Jones and Roy Hibbert.

February 3, 2012: Impressive Performance Against the Mavericks

On February 3, 2012, Paul George recorded an impressive stat line of 30 points, 7 three-pointers, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 1 blocked shot in a win against the Dallas Mavericks.

November 21, 2012: Career-High 37 Points

On November 21, 2012, Paul George scored a career-high 37 points, including nine three-pointers, in a victory against the New Orleans Hornets. The nine 3-pointers broke the franchise record surpassing Hall of Famer Reggie Miller.

2012: George Works on His Ball Handle

In 2012, early in his career, Paul George worked on his ball handle with trainer Jerry Powell during the off-season.

2012: Paul George's Great 2012-2013 Campaign

To cap off a great 2012-2013 campaign, George was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

February 13, 2013: First Career Triple-Double

On February 13, 2013, Paul George recorded his first career triple-double with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

May 14, 2013: Key Performance Against the Knicks

On May 14, 2013, Paul George led the Pacers with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks, contributing to a 93–82 victory.

September 25, 2013: Contract Extension with the Pacers

On September 25, 2013, the Indiana Pacers extended Paul George's contract, electing him to be their designated player, potentially worth around $90 million over 5 years.

December 2, 2013: Career-High 43 Points

On December 2, 2013, Paul George scored a career-high 43 points, along with 3 rebounds and 3 assists, in a 106–102 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

2013: NBA Most Improved Player and All-Star Selection

In 2013, Paul George was named the NBA Most Improved Player and earned his first All-Star selection. He also led the Indiana Pacers to their first Eastern Conference Finals trip since 2004.

2014: Designated Player Extension Start

In 2014, Paul George's contract extension with the Indiana Pacers was set to begin, making him their designated player.

2014: Playoffs and All-NBA Third Team

In 2014, the Pacers eliminated the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Paul George scored a then playoff career-high 39 points in game 4 against the Wizards. The Pacers were later eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. In 2014, George was named to the All-NBA third team and All-Defensive First Team.

April 16, 2016: First Playoff Game Since 2014

On April 16, 2016, Paul George played in his first playoff game since 2014, scoring 33 points in a Game 1 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

October 26, 2016: Season Opener

On October 26, 2016, in the Pacers' season opener, Paul George scored 25 points in a 130–121 overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks.

2016: Joined United States National Team

Following the 2015-16 season, in 2016 Paul George joined the United States national team.

2016: NBA All-Star Game

In 2016, George competed for the Eastern Conference in the NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, where he started and was the game's leading scorer with 41 points.

2016: All-Star Return and Olympic Gold Medal

In 2016, Paul George recovered from his injury to become an All-Star again and won an Olympic gold medal.

January 29, 2017: Scoring Streak

On January 29, 2017, Paul George scored 33 points in a 120–101 win over the Houston Rockets, matching a career high by topping the 30-point mark for the fourth straight game.

March 15, 2017: Season-High Performance

On March 15, 2017, Paul George made six three-pointers and scored 27 of his season-high 39 points in the second half of the Pacers' 98–77 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

April 2, 2017: 43-Point Effort

On April 2, 2017, Paul George had a 43-point effort in a 135–130 double overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

April 14, 2017: Eastern Conference Player of the Month

On April 14, 2017, Paul George was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in April. He averaged an NBA-high 32.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

July 6, 2017: Traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder

On July 6, 2017, Paul George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.

October 19, 2017: Thunder Debut

On October 19, 2017, in his debut for the Thunder, Paul George scored a team-high 28 points in a 105–84 win over the New York Knicks.

November 10, 2017: Season-High 42 Points

On November 10, 2017, Paul George scored a season-high 42 points in a 120–111 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

2017: Trade to Oklahoma City Thunder

In 2017, Paul George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

January 20, 2018: 36-Point Game

On January 20, 2018, Paul George had a 36-point effort in a 148–124 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

January 27, 2018: NBA All-Star Selection

On January 27, 2018, Paul George was named as a replacement for the injured DeMarcus Cousins on Team LeBron for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game.

February 1, 2018: Season-High 43 Points

On February 1, 2018, Paul George scored a season-high 43 points in a 127–124 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

April 11, 2018: 40-Point Game in Regular Season Finale

On April 11, 2018, in the Thunder's regular season finale, Paul George scored 40 points in a 137–123 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

July 1, 2018: Re-Signed with the Thunder

Weeks before free agency began on July 1, 2018, Paul George decided he would stay with the Thunder.

July 10, 2019: Traded to the Clippers

On July 10, 2019, the Thunder traded Paul George to the Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks, and the rights to swap two other first-round picks.

November 14, 2019: Clippers Debut

On November 14, 2019, Paul George made his Clippers debut against the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring 33 points in a 132–127 loss.

2019: Trade to Los Angeles Clippers

In 2019, Paul George was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

December 10, 2020: Signed Contract Extension with Clippers

On December 10, 2020, Paul George signed a four-year, $190 million contract extension with the Clippers.

October 29, 2021: Season-High 42 Points

On October 29, 2021, Paul George scored a season-high 42 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 92–111 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

2021: Clippers' Conference Finals Appearance

In 2021, during Paul George's tenure, the Los Angeles Clippers made their first trip to the Conference Finals.

March 29, 2022: Return From Injury

On March 29, 2022, in his first game back from injury, Paul George scored 34 points, with six assists and four steals, in a 121–115 comeback victory over the Utah Jazz.

October 22, 2022: George Scores 40 Points in Win Over Kings

On October 22, 2022, Paul George scored 40 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and had 6 assists in an 111–109 win over the Sacramento Kings. It marked the 20th time in his career, including playoffs, that he scored at least 40 points, and his fifth as a member of the Clippers.

March 5, 2023: George Scores 42 Points Against Grizzlies

On March 5, 2023, Paul George posted 42 points and 11 rebounds in a 135–129 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

October 28, 2023: George Scores 36 Points Against Jazz

On October 28, 2023, George scored 36 points and went 15 for 15 from the free-throw line in a 120–118 loss against the Utah Jazz.

January 12, 2024: George Scores 37 Points Against Grizzlies

On January 12, 2024, Paul George scored 37 points on 12-of-18 shooting, 7-of-10 from three, 6-of-6 from the free throw line in a 128–119 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

June 29, 2024: George opts out of contract with Clippers

On June 29, 2024, Paul George opted out of his $48.7 million contract with the Clippers for the 2024–25 season, becoming a free agent.

July 6, 2024: George signs with Philadelphia 76ers

On July 6, 2024, Paul George signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. He chose to wear number 8 as a tribute to Kobe Bryant. The 76ers now have a star trio of George, Embiid, and Maxey.

2024: Signing with the Philadelphia 76ers

As of 2024, Paul George plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.

2024: George's First Game With The 76ers

In 2024, Paul George missed the first five games of the season with a bone bruise. On November 4, Paul George made his 76ers debut, putting up 15 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.

2024: George's Performance in 2024 Playoffs Against Mavericks

In 2024, during game 3 of the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, Paul George struggled, scoring only 7 points. However, in the following game, George scored 33 points, but the Clippers lost the series 4–2.

March 17, 2025: George to miss remainder of the 2025 season due to injuries

On March 17, 2025, Paul George was announced to miss the remainder of the season due to adductor and knee injuries. During the 2025 season, George averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. His season was described as "disappointing".