This came up a long time ago, initially when discussing the eternally overrated Kobe Bryant and yet also in our initial NBA miniseries, examining league MVPs. But here’s the truth after yet another NBA regular- and postseason tragedy for Chris Paul: He is one of the top-5 all-time players in league history, yet for some reason, the powers that be never have anointed him in the ways he has deserved.

Last year, we saw the league let the Milwaukee Bucks (with their European sensation Giannis Antetokounmpo) win the title over CP3 and the Phoenix Suns, and this year, the Suns posted the best record in the league, but somehow, the league let the Dallas Mavericks beat them in the playoffs—perhaps only so the Golden State Warriors can win yet another ho-hum title?

Who knows what the rigged NBA is thinking these days … but Phoenix is a huge TV market (No. 11, although Dallas is No. 4), and Paul is not a rapist like Kobe. He’s an all-time great human being and player. So, why won’t the NBA let him have a crowning achievement? Why would the league ride a horrible person like Kobe to so much adoration, while letting Paul rot in the side alley?

Paul won three MVP awards in our book (2008, 2011, 2015), although he never has won the award in real life—losing out to Bryant once, somehow. He is fifth all-time in Win Shares per 48 Minutes, trailing only Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Neil Johnston. Notice there are no point guards on that list, so CP3 is basically the best point guard in NBA history when it comes to Win Shares.

He is a 12-time All-Star selection, which is good; Paul also has been named to 9 All-Defense teams as well. At age 36, he is a venerable god in this league, but he’s only played in the NBA Finals once—last year, when his team took a 2-0 lead on Milwaukee before … somehow losing four straight. This year, in the Western Conference semifinals? The Suns were up 2-0 again, before losing in 7 games.

We know the NBA Finals have been rigged since at least 1995. We know the league chooses its imagery to promote. We know Paul is an all-time great. We know he is a viable persona for advertising. He is a win-win scenario for the most rigged professional sports league out there. So, again, why hasn’t the NBA let Chris Paul win a title to cement his legacy?

Good question.