Bradley Beal Says He'll Let Chris Paul Wear No. 3 Clippers Jersey After PG's Contract

There won't be a battle for the No. 3 between the two newest members of the Los Angeles Clippers.

ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk noted on Tuesday that Bradley Beal has volunteered to let Chris Paul have the jersey number he has worn dating back to his time in high school at West Forsyth.

Youngmisuk added Beal hasn't decided what number he will wear during the 2025-26 season.

Beal agreed to a two-year, $11 million contract with the Clippers after agreeing to a buyout with the Phoenix Suns on July 16.

In a bit of a surprise move, Paul agreed to a deal with the Clippers on Monday. The move brings him back to the franchise he spent six seasons with from 2011 to '17 for what could be his final year in the NBA.

Paul's decision to return to Los Angeles makes sense given the team's title aspirations in 2025-26, but it didn't seem like an obvious fit because of how crowded the backcourt is for the Clippers.

These two additions give the Clippers a backcourt depth chart with Paul, Beal, James Harden and Kris Dunn. It's a good problem for head coach Tyronn Lue to have.

The number probably wasn't going to be a make-or-break deal for Paul, but it does allow him to maintain jersey consistency for potentially the entirety of his career. His jersey number and nickname—CP3—are a tribute to his family because he's the third CP in his family after his father (Charles Paul) and older brother (CJ Paul).

Beal has used No. 3 for his first 13 seasons in the NBA. He wore 23 during his lone college season at Florida in 2011-12 before switching to No. 3 in the NBA. The three-time All-Star cited his admiration for Dwyane Wade as the reason for picking the number.

If Beal wanted to go back to his old college jersey, he might have to make a deal for it. Patrick Baldwin Jr. took No. 23 when he signed with the Clippers in March, though he did split time between the NBA and G League.