Ricky Pierce facts for kids

Richard Charles Pierce (born August 19, 1959) is a retired American basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). People called him "Deuces" and "Big Paper Daddy". He was an NBA All-Star in 1991. He also won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award twice (1987, 1990) while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Ricky Pierce's Early Life and College Career

Ricky Pierce went to Garland High School in Dallas County, Texas. After high school, he played college basketball. He played at Walla Walla Community College and then at Rice University.

At Rice, Ricky Pierce was an amazing scorer. He holds the record for the highest career scoring average, with 22.5 points per game. He is also third in total points scored for Rice University. In the 1981–82 season, he set school records. He scored 26.8 points per game and made 314 field goals.

Ricky Pierce's NBA Journey

Ricky Pierce had a long career in the NBA. He played for several teams.

Starting with the Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons picked Ricky Pierce in the first round of the 1982 NBA draft. He was the 18th player chosen overall. He didn't play much in his first year. Before the next season, he was traded to the San Diego Clippers.

Playing for the San Diego Clippers

Ricky Pierce played one season with the San Diego Clippers. He became a regular player on the team. He averaged 9.9 points in about 18.6 minutes per game. He started 35 games that season. In one game against San Antonio, he scored a career-high 30 points.

Becoming a Star with the Milwaukee Bucks

Before the 1984–85 season, the San Diego Clippers traded Pierce to the Milwaukee Bucks. This trade also brought Terry Cummings to Milwaukee. Many people think this trade helped the Bucks a lot.

In Milwaukee, Ricky Pierce reunited with his college coach, Mike Schuler. Schuler was an assistant coach for the Bucks. Pierce played for the Bucks for six full seasons. He averaged 17 points per game during this time. He did this even though he only started 46 games.

On March 13, 1985, Pierce scored 22 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bucks, with Pierce, beat Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the playoffs. However, they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the next round.

Winning Sixth Man of the Year Awards

Ricky Pierce won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in the 1986–87 season. He averaged 19.5 points per game. He also shot very well, making 53.4% of his shots. In the playoffs that year, he scored 29 points in a game against the Boston Celtics.

He won the Sixth Man award again in the 1989–90 season. He averaged 23.0 points per game without starting any games. This was an NBA record! On November 9, 1989, he scored 36 points in a very long game. It was a five-overtime win that lasted over four hours. On December 5, he scored a career-high 45 points against the Sacramento Kings.

Later, the Bucks traded Pierce to the Seattle SuperSonics. He was known as a "hired gun" because he was a great scorer. His coach, Don Nelson, once told him, "Your job is to score the ball." Pierce liked that.

Time with the Seattle SuperSonics

Ricky Pierce became a regular starter in the 1991–92 season with the Sonics. He made 75 free throws in a row in 1991. This was the second-longest streak at that time. In 1992, he was the top scorer for Seattle in both the regular season and the playoffs.

In the 1993 NBA playoffs, Pierce helped the Sonics win a big game against the Houston Rockets. He scored 25 points in Game 7. The Sonics, with teammates Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, almost made it to the NBA Finals. They lost in seven games to the Phoenix Suns. The next season, Pierce returned to playing off the bench.

Playing for Other Teams

Ricky Pierce was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 1994. He had some injuries that season and only played in 27 games.

Before the 1995–96 season, Pierce joined the Indiana Pacers. He was healthy again and played in 76 games. He even started four playoff games for the Pacers.

In 1996, Indiana traded Pierce to the Denver Nuggets. Later that season, he was traded again to the Charlotte Hornets.

Finishing Career with the Charlotte Hornets and AEK Athens

With the Charlotte Hornets, Pierce played a bigger role. He started 17 of the last 29 games. He averaged 12 points per game. He played his final NBA playoff game with the Hornets.

In 1997, Pierce played five games for AEK B.C. Athens, a professional team in Greece. He then signed again with the Milwaukee Bucks in December 1997. He retired from basketball at the end of that season.

Life After Basketball

After retiring from playing, Ricky Pierce created his own basketball system. It helps players improve their shooting accuracy. He designed a special basketball called the Accushot22. It has oval marks to show where to place your fingertips. He got the idea while watching his son play basketball. He often gives away hundreds of these special basketballs to kids who can't afford them.

In 2015, Ricky Pierce was honored. He was put into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. He was only the third Rice basketball player to receive this honor.

Personal Life

Ricky Pierce is a Christian. He is married to Joyce Pierce, and they have three children.

He went back to Rice University to finish his college degree. In May 2012, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in kinesiology.

See also

In Spanish: Ricky Pierce para niños

• List of National Basketball Association career free throw percentage leaders