Andrew Pace
Paul Pierce, a former professional basketball player, played 19 seasons in the NBA, predominantly with the Boston Celtics. He led the Celtics to their 17th NBA championship in 2008 and was honoured as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans. In 2021, Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, an honour he described as the ultimate honour for an NBA player.
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What You'll Learn
Paul Pierce's career achievements
Paul Pierce, born on October 13, 1977, in Oakland, California, is an American former professional basketball player. He played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), predominantly with the Boston Celtics. Pierce was a talented musician, businessman, and is known for his great sense of humour and quick wit. He played his high school basketball at Inglewood High School in Inglewood, California, and later played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks, earning consensus first-team All-America honours as a junior.
Pierce was chosen by the Boston Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and he spent the first 15 years of his career with Boston. His nickname, "the Truth," was given to him by Shaquille O'Neal in 2001. Pierce starred as captain of the Celtics, earning 10 All-Star selections and becoming a four-time All-NBA team member. He combined with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in 2007 to form a "Big Three" that led Boston to two NBA Finals and an NBA championship in 2008. Pierce was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2008.
During his career, Pierce achieved numerous milestones and records. He became the third player in Celtics history to score 20,000 career points solely in a Celtics uniform, achieving this feat in November 2010. He also moved into second place on the Boston Celtics' all-time scoring list, surpassing Larry Bird. Pierce played in over 1,000 games for the Celtics, ranking third in team history in games played and second in points scored. He was also a member of the United States national team for the 2002 FIBA World Championship, starting all nine games and averaging 19.8 points per game.
In 2013, Pierce was traded to the Brooklyn Nets along with teammates Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry. He then signed with the Washington Wizards as a free agent in 2014 and later joined the Los Angeles Clippers, reuniting with former Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Pierce retired in 2017, signing a contract with the Celtics to officially end his career with the organization where he spent most of his NBA journey. In 2021, Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, honouring his outstanding career and contributions to the sport.
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His time with the Boston Celtics
Paul Pierce played for the Boston Celtics for the first 15 years of his career. He was chosen by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Pierce was nicknamed "the Truth" by Shaquille O'Neal in 2001, after a victory over the Celtics where Pierce scored 42 points.
Pierce started all 82 games in the 2000-01 season, averaging 25.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.68 steals in 38.0 minutes. He was named NBA Player of the Month for March 2001, and Eastern Conference Co-Player of the Month twice in the 2001-02 season. From 2002 to 2006, Pierce made the All-Star team every season. He led the league in total points in 2002 and was an All-NBA Third Team selection in 2002 and 2003.
In the 2007 offseason, Pierce requested a trade to the Dallas Mavericks, threatening to publicly demand a trade unless the Celtics acquired a co-star for him. A three-team trade was nearly completed, but it fell through when the Atlanta Hawks pulled out. Pierce eventually combined with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to form a "Big Three" that led Boston to two NBA Finals and an NBA championship in 2008. Pierce was named Finals MVP for the 2007-08 season.
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His college and high school basketball career
Paul Pierce was born in Oakland, California, and attended Inglewood High School in Inglewood, California. During his freshman and sophomore years, Pierce was cut from Inglewood High's varsity basketball team and considered transferring. However, he persevered and became the "best player on the team" by the end of his junior year. In his senior year, he averaged an impressive 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Following his outstanding high school career, Pierce was selected to participate in the 1995 McDonald's All-American Game alongside future NBA stars such as Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Stephon Marbury, and Antawn Jamison.
Pierce's exceptional talent earned him a spot at the University of Kansas, where he played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks from 1995 to 1998. During his freshman year, he earned honorable mention All-Big Eight honors and was selected as the second-team Freshman All-American by Basketball Weekly. He also shared the title of Big Eight Co-Freshman of the Year with Chauncey Billups of Colorado. In the summer of 1996, Pierce represented the USA's Under-22 team in a World Championship-qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico, helping the team go undefeated.
As a sophomore, Pierce continued to excel, capturing the first of two Big 12 Conference tournament Most Valuable Player awards. He averaged 21.7 points and led Kansas to the inaugural tournament championship. In his junior year (1997-98), he solidified his status as a top player, winning Most Valuable Player honors in both the Preseason NIT and the Big 12 Conference tournament. He was named First Team All-Big 12 Conference by the AP and Coaches and was recognised as a First Team All-American by the Associated Press. Additionally, he was a finalist for the prestigious John Wooden and Naismith awards.
Pierce's outstanding college career culminated in him being selected by the Boston Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. He made his NBA debut on February 5, 1999, marking the beginning of a remarkable 19-year career in the league.
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His post-retirement career
Paul Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. He played 19 seasons in the NBA, predominantly with the Boston Celtics, and retired in 2017.
Pierce's post-retirement career has included several endeavours. In August 2017, he joined ESPN as a studio analyst for "The Jump" and "NBA Countdown". However, his role at the network was reduced in 2019 due to questions about his preparation for NBA segments and game predictions. Unfortunately, Pierce was fired by ESPN in 2021 after streaming from his Instagram Live, where he featured women in bikinis during a poker game.
Aside from his stint as a sports analyst, Pierce has also been involved in other ventures. As of September 2024, he is a contributor to the FS1 sports talk show "Speak". Additionally, Pierce has been open about his mental health struggles, using his platform to discuss battling depression and post-traumatic stress after being stabbed in 2000. His honesty has contributed to the NBA's initiative to focus on the mental health of its players.
Pierce has also been honoured for his achievements in basketball. In 2012, he was recognised as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans, celebrating his high school basketball accomplishments. Furthermore, his jersey was retired by the Celtics in 2018, and it now hangs in the rafters of TD Garden, commemorating his successful career with the team.
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His Hall of Fame enshrinement speech
Paul Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. In his enshrinement speech, Pierce began by thanking the Hall of Fame and the committee that voted for him, saying:
> "Let me just start off by thanking the Hall of Fame and the committee that voted for me. Appreciate that. You guys got it right."
Pierce went on to thank his mother for her dedication and the "stubbornness that made [him] the man [he is] today." He also apologised for burning down the family house at the age of seven while playing with matches. Pierce expressed his gratitude for making it to the league and being able to buy his mother a new house.
Pierce also thanked former Celtics coach and GM Rick Pitino for drafting him, and the Celtics organisation for sticking with him through tough times. He noted that he never dreamed of being a Hall of Famer as a child, saying:
> "The initial dream as a kid is to make it to the league. You don't really dream too far - 'I want to be a Hall of Famer' - you don't really say that as a kid."
Pierce's career included 15 years with the Celtics, during which he won a championship and a Finals MVP. He made 10 All-Star teams and four All-NBA teams, and averaged more than 20 points per game eight times.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Paul Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Paul Pierce played predominantly for the Boston Celtics in his 19 seasons in the NBA. He was a 10-time NBA All-Star, won an NBA championship in 2008, and was a four-time All-NBA team member. He was also a McDonald's All-American in high school and a two-time Big 12 Conference tournament Most Valuable Player in college.
After his time with the Celtics, Pierce played for the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and LA Clippers before retiring in 2017.
Following his retirement, Pierce worked as a studio analyst for ESPN and joined the FS1 sports talk show Speak in 2024.
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