Last Updated on July 27, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Long before the box score filled up, Paul Millsap usually left his fingerprints on a possession by sliding into help at the right moment, slipping behind a defender for an extra rebound, or making the simple pass that kept an offense flowing. An American power forward who enjoyed a lengthy NBA career, Millsap earned his standing through intelligent team defense, crafty interior scoring, dependable rebounding, and an instinctive feel for finding advantages that many players never even noticed.

Here are the details for Paul Millsap:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Paul Millsap
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born February 10, 1985
  • Hometown: Monroe, Louisiana, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 meters)
  • Weight: 257 pounds (117 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters)
  • Shoe Size: Size 16 (US)
  • Number: Wore #4 and #24 during his career
  • Position: Power Forward / Center
  • High School: Grambling High School (Grambling, Louisiana)
  • College: Louisiana Tech University
  • NBA Draft: 2006 NBA Draft, 2nd round, 47th overall pick by the Utah Jazz
  • Teams Played For:
    • Utah Jazz (2006–2013)
    • Atlanta Hawks (2013–2017)
    • Denver Nuggets (2017–2021)
    • Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)
    • Philadelphia 76ers (2022)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Kids: 4 children (including three daughters, Xylah, Pnyx, and Paular)
  • Siblings: 3 brothers (John Millsap, Abraham Millsap, and Elijah Millsap, who also played professional basketball)

Player Archetype / Play Style

Paul Millsap’s archetype was that of a rugged two-way power forward, a strong, versatile frontcourt player who could defend across matchups, rebound through contact, and score without needing an offense built entirely around him. Defensively, he operated as a smart, physical interior anchor and switch-capable helper whose value showed up in his positioning, activity, and ability to stabilize good team defenses, while offensively he functioned as a secondary scorer and connective playmaker who could finish inside, work from the elbows, punish smaller defenders, and later stretch the floor as his game evolved. Physically, Millsap was undersized for a traditional big at around 6-foot-7, but he played with a powerful frame, long arms, and a strong base that let him win battles against bigger players. His play style was tough, efficient, and adaptable, blending old-school interior strength with modern versatility, which is a big reason he remained effective across different roles and systems for so long. (NBA)

Scouting Report

Paul Millsap never played like someone obsessed with highlights; he played like someone solving possessions one read at a time. The first thing you notice is how often he created advantages without needing the ball for long. He’d slip a screen before contact, seal a smaller defender a beat early, or drift into the short roll where his patience forced the low man to commit before he zipped a pass to the corner or finished with either hand. That decision-making was the foundation of his offensive value as much as his scoring. He could space to the arc when the action demanded it, attack slower bigs from the perimeter with controlled drives rather than explosive bursts, and punish switches in the post because of his balance and footwork instead of overwhelming size. Defensively, he consistently seemed one rotation ahead. He was excellent at shrinking driving lanes with timely nail help, sliding over as the low man without abandoning his own assignment for too long, and surviving switches because he understood angles and leverage. Bigger centres could dislodge him near the rim over extended stretches, while the quickest perimeter creators occasionally forced him into recovery mode in space, but he rarely made those possessions easy. That’s what separated him. Even when he wasn’t directly involved, his positioning quietly removed options from the offence. I’ve always thought his ideal environment featured multiple ball-handlers and plenty of movement, where he could flow between screening, facilitating from the elbows, popping into open space and making quick defensive reads on the other end rather than carrying a heavy isolation workload. His game shared plenty with Al Horford in the way both blended skill, physicality and processing speed into every possession, while there were shades of Boris Diaw in how naturally he connected an offence through subtle passes, timely relocations and an instinct for making the next action cleaner than the first.

Fun Facts

  • Paul Millsap is widely regarded for his versatility, defensive prowess, and consistent scoring ability throughout his NBA career.
  • He was a four-time NBA All-Star and a key player for several playoff-contending teams.

Sources:

NBA.com — Denver Nuggets benefit from dynamic combination of Paul Millsap, Jerami Grant
NBA.com — One Team, One Stat — Denver Nuggets see league’s steepest climb?
NBA.com — Denver Nuggets Roundtable: The best and the underrated power forwards in franchise history
NBA.com — Atlanta Hawks go from top 10 to bottom 10 on defense