paul pierce celtics
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Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce.
Retired Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce made some controversial comments by ranking himself above several all-time greats. Shannon Sharpe interviewed Pierce on Club Shay Shay, and the former All-Star had no resistance praising himself. Pierce was asked about where he stacks up against the greatest scorers in NBA history and upset fans with some names he ranked below his career.
Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry were named by Pierce as having flaws that he didn’t, as transcribed by Fadeaway Media:
“You could say with Curry, take his shooting away. With Jordan, his fadeaway. What do you take away from me? I did it all well. I won a 3-point contest, I’ve dominated games from the three. Steph Curry was in the contest. Is he the greatest shooter ever? Well, I beat him. Who’s the greatest scorer? Kevin Durant? I can do everything he can do.”
Pierce was never considered the best player in the league and had only one top 10 MVP finish, placing seventh. His beloved run with the Celtics and the passion of that fan base have seemingly emboldened him to make bold statements about his legacy today.
Pierce Brags About Outshooting Curry
One of the strangest points Pierce made in this interview focused on why he’s a better scorer than Curry. The two competed in a three-point shooting contest with other NBA names during the All-Star Weekend event during Curry’s rookie year. Pierce makes it known that he doesn’t care about Curry’s age and holds that as a rational for his bold take.
“I say Steph Curry was in the contest, and they be like ‘oh, he was a rookie’,” Pierce said. “It is still Steph Curry. Stephen Curry was still in the contest. In ten years from now, that’s Steph Curry, and I beat him. I don’t know (care) old he was.”
Pierce later said that everyone calls Curry the greatest three-point shooter ever, yet he outshot him. Few players use a three-point contest as a measure in all-time debates, but Pierce is using every argument he can to make his case.
Pierce Also Named Michael Jordan & Kobe
It’s not surprising that Pierce believes he’s better than many active NBA superstars. Retired legends from the 1990s and early 2000s often claim they could outperform modern players who benefit from rule changes and advances in technology. However, Pierce went even further, naming Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as players he could outscore.
Sharpe laughed when Pierce said that “Kobe was close” to him skill-wise, as it’s universally accepted that Bryant was better than Pierce throughout nearly their entire careers. Pierce credited Bryant’s footwork and intelligence for putting him above players who relied more on athleticism. Still, in Pierce’s mind, the Los Angeles Lakers legend didn’t rank above him.
Pierce also commented on Jordan, claiming his athleticism carried much of his career and that taking away his fade away jumper would have changed a lot. While Jordan, Bryant, Curry, and Durant all have far greater universal appeal than Pierce, the Celtics legend continues to show that believing in yourself can sometimes reach extreme levels.