Ricky Pierce facts for kids

Richard Charles Pierce (born August 19, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He was known by the nicknames "Deuces" and "Big Paper Daddy". Ricky Pierce was a talented scorer who played for many teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was chosen as an NBA All-Star in 1991. He also won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award twice while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Early Life and College Basketball

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

At Rice University, 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 and second in total shots made in Rice history. In the 1981–82 season, he set school records with 26.8 points per game and 314 shots made.

Ricky Pierce's NBA Journey

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 did not play much in his first year. Before the next season, he was traded to the San Diego Clippers.

Time with the San Diego Clippers

Ricky Pierce became a regular player for the Clippers. He played about 18 minutes per game and scored nearly 10 points. 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 Ricky 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, who was an assistant coach for the Bucks. For six seasons, Pierce averaged 17 points per game. He did this even though he only started 46 games during that time. This showed how good he was coming off the bench.

On March 13, 1985, Pierce scored 22 points and helped the Bucks win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bucks then beat Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the playoffs.

Ricky Pierce won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in the 1986–87 season. This award goes to the best player who usually comes off the bench. He averaged 19.5 points per game and shot 53.4% from the field. In the 1989 NBA Playoffs, he scored 35 points in a key game against the Atlanta Hawks, helping the Bucks win the series.

He won the Sixth Man award again in the 1989–90 season. That year, he averaged 23.0 points per game without starting any games, which was an NBA record! On November 9, 1989, he scored 36 points in a very long game that went into five overtime periods. On December 5, he scored a career-high 45 points.

Ricky Pierce was known as a "hired gun" because his main job was to score points. He once said that his coach, Don Nelson, told him, "Your job is to score the ball." He liked that clear role.

Playing for the Seattle SuperSonics

Ricky Pierce became a regular starter in the 1991–92 season with the Seattle SuperSonics. He made 75 free throws in a row, which was one of the longest streaks 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 tough Game 7 against the Houston Rockets. He scored 25 points in that game. The Sonics, with teammates Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, almost made it to the NBA Finals but lost in seven games to the Phoenix Suns.

Later NBA Teams

Ricky Pierce later played for the Golden State Warriors in the 1994–95 season. He had some injuries that year.

Before the 1995–96 season, he joined the Indiana Pacers. He played in 76 games and helped the Pacers in the playoffs.

In the 1996–97 season, Pierce was traded to the Denver Nuggets. Later that season, he was traded again to the Charlotte Hornets. He played a bigger role with the Hornets, helping them reach the playoffs.

Playing in Greece and Retirement

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

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Life After Basketball

After retiring from playing, Ricky Pierce created his own basketball training system. It helps players improve their shooting accuracy. He got the idea while watching his son play basketball. He developed a special basketball called the Accushot22. It has unique marks to help players learn where to place their fingertips. He sells these basketballs, but he also gives many away to kids who cannot afford them.

In 2015, Ricky Pierce was honored by being added to the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. He was only the third basketball player from Rice University to receive this honor.

Personal Life

Ricky Pierce is married to Joyce Pierce, and they have three children. He returned to Rice University and earned his college degree in kinesiology (the study of body movement) in May 2012.

See also

In Spanish: Ricky Pierce para niños

• List of National Basketball Association career free throw percentage leaders