Paul Pierce facts for kids
Pierce with the Boston Celtics in 2008
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 13, 1977 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| High school | Inglewood (Inglewood, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kansas (1995–1998) |
| NBA Draft | 1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Pro career | 1998–2017 |
| Career history | |
| 1998–2013 | Boston Celtics |
| 2013–2014 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2014–2015 | Washington Wizards |
| 2015–2017 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 26,397 (19.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 7,527 (5.6 rpg) |
| Assists | 4,708 (3.5 apg) |
Paul Anthony Pierce (born October 13, 1977) is a famous American former professional basketball player. He played for 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is best known for his time with the Boston Celtics. As of September 2024, he works as a sports commentator for the FS1 talk show Speak.
Pierce was a top high school player, named a McDonald's All-American. In college, he earned high honors at Kansas. The Boston Celtics picked him 10th in the 1998 NBA draft. He played his first 15 years with Boston. His famous nickname, "the Truth," was given to him by Shaquille O'Neal in 2001. Pierce was a team captain for the Celtics. He was chosen for the All-Star team 10 times.
In 2007, Pierce joined forces with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. They formed a "Big Three" that led Boston to two NBA Finals. They won an NBA championship in 2008. Pierce was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2008. In 2021, he was honored as part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Pierce is one of only three Celtics players to score over 20,000 points for the team. The others are Larry Bird and John Havlicek.
In 2013, Pierce was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He later played for the Washington Wizards in 2014. After that, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 2015. He retired in 2017. On July 17, 2017, the Celtics signed Pierce to a special contract. This allowed him to retire as a member of the team he played for the longest.
Contents
Paul Pierce: Basketball Star
Early Life and High School
Paul Pierce was born in Oakland, California. His family later moved to Inglewood, California. He went to Inglewood High School. He was cut from the school's basketball team in his first two years. He thought about leaving the school. But he spent extra time practicing. By his junior year, he became the best player on the team.
In his senior year, he averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Pierce played in the 1995 McDonald's All-American Game. He played alongside future NBA stars like Kevin Garnett and Vince Carter. He also took part in the Slam Dunk Contest. Growing up, he was a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. He dreamed of playing for them one day. In 2012, Pierce was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans.
College Basketball Journey
Pierce played three years at Kansas from 1995 to 1998. In his first year, he earned honors as a top freshman. He was also named Big Eight Co-Freshman of the Year. In the summer of 1996, Pierce played for the USA's Under 22 team. They went undefeated in a tournament in Puerto Rico.
As a sophomore, Pierce won his first of two Big 12 Conference tournament MVP awards. He averaged 21.7 points. He led Kansas to win the first tournament championship. In his junior year (1997–98), Pierce was named MVP in two more tournaments. He was selected First Team All-Big 12 Conference. He was also named a First Team All-American. He scored 777 points as a junior. This is the fifth-highest single-season total in Kansas history. He is the fifth-leading scorer in Kansas history overall.
Pierce left the University of Kansas after his junior season. He decided to enter the 1998 NBA draft.
Professional Career: The Truth Begins
Boston Celtics: Early Years
The Boston Celtics picked Pierce 10th overall in the 1998 NBA draft. This was surprising because he "despised" the Celtics growing up. He scored 19 or more points in 10 of his first 11 games. In his first year, he averaged 16.5 points. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting. In his second season, his scoring went up to 19.5 points per game.
In the 2000–01 season, Pierce played in all 82 games. He averaged 25.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. He led the Celtics in points per game. He was named NBA Player of the Month for March 2001.
In the 2001–02 season, Pierce led the Celtics to the playoffs. It was their first time in seven years. They made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 3, the Celtics made a huge comeback. Pierce scored 19 of his 28 points in the last 12 minutes. Boston came back from 21 points down to win. This gave the Celtics a 2–1 lead in the series. However, the New Jersey Nets won the series in six games. From 2002 to 2006, Pierce was an All-Star every season. He led the league in total points in 2002.
NBA Champion!
Before the 2007–08 season, the Celtics added Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. These two All-Stars joined Pierce to form a "Big Three." The Celtics had a huge improvement that season. They won 66 games, 42 more than the year before.
In the playoffs, they faced tough challenges. The Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers both pushed them to seven games. In Game 7 against the Cavaliers, Pierce scored 41 points. This was the second-most Game 7 points in Celtics history. The Celtics then beat the Detroit Pistons to reach the NBA Finals.
On June 5, 2008, in Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Pierce got hurt. He was carried off the court in pain. But he came back just minutes later. He scored 15 points in the third quarter. This helped the Celtics win 98–88. He led the Celtics to their 17th championship. They beat the Lakers 4–2 in the series. Pierce was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. He averaged 22 points per game in the series.
Later Years with Celtics
Pierce and the Celtics aimed to win another championship in the 2008–09 NBA season. Pierce played almost every game and led the team in scoring. He was named to the 2009 NBA All-Star Game. Despite his efforts, the Celtics lost in the second round of the playoffs. This was because Kevin Garnett was injured.
At the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Pierce won the Three-Point Contest. He was the first Celtic since Larry Bird to do so. In the 2010 NBA Playoffs, Pierce hit a game-winning shot against the Miami Heat. The Celtics went on to reach the NBA Finals again. They faced the Lakers in a rematch of 2008. The Celtics led 3–2, but lost the last two games.
On November 3, 2010, Pierce scored his 20,000th career point. He was the third player in Celtics history to reach this milestone. The Celtics made the playoffs but lost to the Miami Heat in five games. On February 7, 2012, Pierce passed Larry Bird for second place on the Celtics' all-time scoring list. He played his 1,000th game for the Celtics on March 9, 2012. Only two other Celtics players have played more games.
In the 2012 playoffs, the Celtics beat the Hawks and 76ers. They then played the Miami Heat in the conference finals. Pierce made a key three-pointer over LeBron James in Game 5. This gave the Celtics a 3–2 series lead. However, the Celtics lost the last two games.
The 2012–13 season was tough for the Celtics. Their star point guard, Rajon Rondo, was injured. Pierce recorded three triple-doubles that season. A triple-double means getting double-digit numbers in three stats (like points, rebounds, and assists). The Celtics made the playoffs but lost in the first round to the New York Knicks.
Moving to Other Teams
Brooklyn Nets
On June 28, 2013, the Boston Celtics traded Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets. Pierce convinced Garnett to agree to the trade. Pierce said they were focused on winning a championship. He believed Brooklyn gave them the best chance.
In the 2013–14 season, Pierce averaged 13.5 points per game. He scored 1,000 points for the 15th season in a row. He became only the sixth player in NBA history to do this. He also moved up to 18th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. On April 11, 2014, Pierce reached 25,000 career points. The Nets made the playoffs. They beat the Toronto Raptors in the first round. But they lost to the Miami Heat in the second round.
Washington Wizards
On July 17, 2014, Pierce signed with the Washington Wizards. He continued to climb the NBA's all-time scoring list. He passed Jerry West and Reggie Miller. On January 14, 2015, he passed Jason Kidd for fourth all-time in three-pointers made. Eleven days later, he made his 2,000th career three-pointer. Pierce finished the season averaging 11.9 points per game. This was a career low for him.
In the playoffs, on May 9, 2015, Pierce made a game-winning shot at the buzzer. It helped the Wizards beat the Atlanta Hawks 103–101. In Game 6, Pierce hit a three-pointer that looked like it would tie the game. But replays showed the clock ran out before he released the ball. The Wizards lost the game and the series. On June 27, 2015, Pierce chose to leave the Wizards.
Los Angeles Clippers
On July 10, 2015, Pierce signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. He played his first game for them on October 28. He scored 12 points coming off the bench. This was the first time in his career he started a season as a role player. On December 16, Pierce scored six points. He hit a buzzer-beater shot. This made him the 16th player in NBA history to reach 26,000 points.
On September 26, 2016, Pierce announced that the 2016–17 season would be his last. On February 5, 2017, he played his last game in Boston. He started the game and played for five minutes. The crowd chanted his name. He re-entered the game with 19 seconds left. He hit a three-pointer for his only points of the game. On April 10, 2017, he scored 10 points in the final five minutes against the Houston Rockets. This moved him to 15th on the NBA career scoring list. The Clippers made the playoffs. They lost their first-round series to the Utah Jazz in seven games. Pierce's 19-year NBA career ended on April 30, 2017.
Retiring as a Celtic
On July 17, 2017, Pierce signed a special contract with the Boston Celtics. This allowed him to retire as a member of the team he loved. On August 18, 2017, the Celtics announced they would retire his jersey. On February 11, 2018, his No. 34 jersey was raised to the rafters of TD Garden. He became the 23rd person in Celtics history to receive this honor.
Playing for Team USA
Pierce was a member of the United States national team. He played in the 2002 FIBA World Championship. He started all nine games and averaged 19.8 points per game. He was also chosen for the 2006 World Championship team. But he could not play due to a minor surgery.
Life After Basketball: Broadcasting
In August 2017, Pierce joined ESPN as a TV analyst. He appeared on shows like The Jump and NBA Countdown. His role was reduced in 2019. ESPN later ended its relationship with Pierce on April 5, 2021.
In March 2024, Pierce joined FS1 as a basketball analyst. He started on the show Undisputed. After that show ended, Pierce moved to the sports talk show Speak.
Personal Life
Paul Pierce and his ex-wife Julie have three children. They have two daughters, Prianna and Adrian, and a son, Prince. Paul also has two half-brothers, Jamal and Steve Hosey. Steve played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants. Jamal played college basketball for Wyoming.
On September 25, 2000, Pierce was attacked at a club. He needed lung surgery. But he still played in all 82 games of the 2000–01 season. His teammate, Tony Battie, helped save him by rushing him to the hospital. In 2003, Pierce gave $2.5 million to the hospital that helped him recover. He said it was a way to give back. In 2018, Pierce shared that he struggled with sadness and anxiety after the incident. He talked about it to help other NBA players with their mental health.
The Nickname "The Truth"
Pierce's nickname, "the Truth," was given to him by Shaquille O'Neal. This happened after a game on March 13, 2001. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Celtics 112–107. But Pierce scored 42 points. After the game, O'Neal told a reporter, "My name is Shaquille O'Neal and Paul Pierce is the ... truth. Quote me on that. I knew he could play, but I didn't know he could play like this. Paul Pierce is The Truth."
Career highlights
NBA
- NBA champion: 2008
- NBA Finals MVP: 2008
- All-NBA Second Team: 2009
- 3-time All-NBA Third Team: 2002, 2003, 2008
- 10-time NBA All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1999
- NBA 3-Point Contest winner: 2010
- NBA regular-season leader, total points: 2002 (2144)
- NBA regular-season leader, free throws made: 2003 (604)
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team: 2021
College
- Named First Team All-America by the Associated Press after his junior year at the University of Kansas.
- Named Big Eight Freshman of the Year in 1995–96.
- MVP of the Big 12 Conference tournament in both 1997 and 1998.
- Member of the All-Big 12 First Team in 1997–1998.
Other
- Member of the US national team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship.
- Member of the 2006 USA Basketball World Championship Team (Did not play due to an elbow injury).
- Home Team Community Service Award (2002)
- Named to Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2018
Boston Celtics franchise records
- Most points scored in a half (including Overtime): 46 (December 1, 2001, 2nd Half vs. New Jersey Nets).
- Most points scored in an overtime period: 13 (December 1, 2001, vs. New Jersey Nets)
- Most three-point field goals made, career: 1578
- Most three-point field goals attempted, career: 4273
- Most free throws made, career: 5808
- Most free throws attempted, career: 7212
- Most free throws made in one game: 20 (November 2, 2002, vs. New York Knicks).
- Most free throws attempted in one game: 24 (November 5, 2005, vs. New York Knicks).
- Most free throws made in one half: 14 (March 2, 2001, vs. Utah Jazz).
- Most free throws made in one season: 627 (2005–06, breaking his own record of 604 set in 2002–03).
- Most free throws attempted in one season: 812 (2005–06, breaking his own record of 753 set in 2002–03).
- Most steals in one game: 9 (tied with Larry Bird; December 3, 1999, vs. Miami Heat).
- Most free throws made without a miss, playoffs: 21 (Game 1, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round).
- Most points scored in one half, playoffs: 32 (Game 4, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round vs. Indiana Pacers).
- Highest scoring average through one month: 33.5 PPG (February 2006).
- Only Celtics player in franchise history to lead the NBA in total points scored in a season, scoring 2,144 points in 2001–02.
- Oldest Celtics player to score 40 points in a game: 35 years, 2 months, and 6 days old (December 19, 2012, vs Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Pierce is the Celtics' second all-time leading scorer behind John Havlicek. He also ranks second in team history in career scoring average, behind Larry Bird.
