It’s hard to find an NBA player who makes the game of basketball look as easy as Paul George. Basketball fans across the country have taken notice, assigning Erykah Badu’s “Didn’t Cha Know” as George’s “theme song” due to their similarly smooth styles.
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing in at 220lbs, George is a forward with guard skills as his handle is elite, he can get to the basket at will and can score at all three levels whenever he wants. The thought is that the song has a calm and relaxed feel to it, just like George’s play on the court. Anyone who’s seen “That one Paul George edit” on their TikTok, Instagram and/or YouTube feeds is most likely familiar with the craze.
George was asked about the recent trend following the Clippers’ Jan. 16 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. George scored 18 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter and scored 11 of Los Angeles’ final 14 points to secure the victory.
“I don’t know, I guess I’m smooth,” George said when asked about the trend postgame. “I tell people I always look at basketball as dancing anyway. I’m always down to tango.”
George has definitely been down to tango for the Clippers this season. He has played in 44 out 47 games for the Clippers and is having a tremendous statistical season. On a team loaded with stars such as Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, George is putting up 23 points, six rebounds and four assists per game.
George is shooting 46.3% from the floor, and if that mark stands for the remainder of the season, it would be the second-most efficient shooting season of his career, his best since the 2021-22 season. PG-13 has also been a major contributor to the Clippers’ top-ranked three-point shooting this season, shooting a career-best 41.2% from downtown.
Some of the most important games in a team’s season can come down to converting from the free-throw line. The Clippers never need to worry when they need Paul George to knock down free throws — he’s shooting nearly 91% from the charity stripe this season.
Paul George has been playing in the NBA since 2010 and has built up quite the resume. An eight-time NBA All-Star with six All-NBA Team appearances, George also won the league’s Most Improved Player award in 2013 and has made four all-defensive teams. PG-13 was also a part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Because of George’s individual success in the NBA, many of today’s younger players grew up admiring his style of play. One notable example is Charlotte Hornets rookie Brandon Miller. Miller was the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and during a pre-draft interview, Miller was asked to weigh in on the GOAT debate.
The vast majority of fans center this debate around Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, but Miller’s take on the GOAT debate is one of the more unique ones out there.
“I actually don’t think LeBron is the GOAT of basketball,” Miller said. “My GOAT of basketball is Paul George. I grew up watching him, so it was never just LeBron.
Another notable name that has given George a lot of praise is former NBA player Carmelo Anthony. Anthony believes that George’s game serves as a model for young basketball players who are trying to enhance their skills in all aspects of basketball.
“When you create your player on 2K you’re creating that,” Anthony said. “He learned how to be a role player and gradually he became the PG that we love.”
With Paul George having one of the best seasons of his career this season, the Clippers’ chances of winning a championship have never looked better since Kawhi Leonard and George arrived in 2019. If you didn’t know about PG-13′s game before, now you know.