Clippers’ Chris Paul says LeBron James is one of his best friends

Two of the NBA’s biggest superstars, Chris Paul and LeBron James, are best friends.

They played AAU basketball against each other as teens. They played in the 2003 McDonald’s All-American game. They were on the U.S. Olympic team that won gold at the Beijing Games in 2008. They were in each other’s weddings.

“He’s like one of my best friends,” Paul said recently of James. “We talk every week, all the time.”

Paul gave a speech at James’ wedding and was at the hospital for the birth of his two sons. James was at Paul’s son’s first birthday party.

“We’re each other kids’ godparents,” Paul said.

But now the Clippers are set to play at Cleveland on Thursday, meaning Paul and James will go head-to-head.

Paul is averaging 17.7 points and 9.6 assists a game for the Clippers (33-16), who are in fifth place in the Western Conference. James is averaging 26.2 points, 5.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game for the Cavaliers (30-20), who are in fifth place in the East.

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