SAN ANTONIO — Chris Paul, the San Antonio Spurs guard, just made history by becoming the third player ever to reach 12,000 career assists in the NBA.

He hit the milestone during the Spurs’ 120-115 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Paul’s third assist of the game, just 3:34 into play, earned him a spot in a very exclusive club, joining only John Stockton (15,806 assists) and Jason Kidd (12,091 assists) as the only players to reach this mark.

Chris Paul reflected on the achievement, saying, “I remember the first time I played in Utah and saw John Stockton up there as the all-time leader in assists and steals. I thought, ‘I’m going to catch that.’ Well, that was a bit of a stretch! But to be second behind Stockton is really cool.”

Paul made his mark early in the game, dishing out his first two assists in just the first few minutes, helping the Spurs build an 11-0 lead. His big moment came when he tossed a lob to rookie Victor Wembanyama, who dunked it for an alley-oop, pushing the Spurs ahead 13-4.

Paul ended the game with 11 points, 11 assists, and 2 steals. Even though the Spurs lost, it was a big night for Paul, who continues to show his value to the team. San Antonio is still winless in NBA Cup games this season, but Paul’s leadership is undeniable.

Wembanyama was in awe of Paul’s milestone. “Wow, 12,000 assists is such a big number. It’s hard to imagine how much you need to average for so many years to get there,” he said. “One day, we all want to have our names up there too. It’s just incredible.”

The Spurs signed Paul in July to bring his experience to the team and help guide their young star, Wembanyama. So far, Paul hasn’t disappointed, consistently delivering impressive performances. He’s already had six games this season with 10 or more assists.

Paul shared his thoughts on joining a young team, saying, “I just want to show them that I can play. You can talk all you want, but they want to see it on the court, and that’s why I work so hard.”

He’s also had five double-doubles with 10 assists this season, adding to his career total of 518, which ranks second in NBA history behind Stockton.

While Paul’s arrival has slowed down the Spurs’ pace of play, they’ve been very effective in creating assists. They ranked second in assist percentage before the game on Friday.

As the first quarter ended, the Frost Bank Center scoreboard displayed a graphic celebrating Paul’s milestone, showing him with his arms crossed in a proud moment.

Spurs rookie Stephon Castle was excited for Paul, saying, “That’s a crazy achievement. I’m so happy for CP and can’t wait to see what he does the rest of the season!”