Paul Pierce

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Lore & Background

Pierce's journey began in Oakland, California, before his family moved to Inglewood. At Inglewood High School, he was cut from the varsity team during his freshman and sophomore years, a setback that nearly led him to transfer schools. After rejoining the team as a sophomore and struggling initially, he found his rhythm following a tournament win in Chino, California. By his senior year, he averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. He participated in the 1995 McDonald's All-American Game alongside future stars Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Stephon Marbury, and Antawn Jamison, even competing in the Slam Dunk Contest which was won by Carter. Despite growing up a Los Angeles Lakers fan, he entered the 1998 NBA draft and was chosen by the Boston Celtics, the team he had 'despised' as a child.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Pierce's championship run occurred on June 5, 2008, during Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. In the third quarter, Pierce suffered an injury that saw him carried off the court in apparent serious pain. However, he returned to the game just minutes later, sparking a comeback with 15 points in the third quarter that secured a 98–88 victory for Boston. He went on to lead the Celtics to their 17th championship with a 4–2 series win over the Lakers. In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored 41 points, the second-highest Game 7 point total in franchise history, as Boston edged past Cleveland to advance. Earlier in his career, during the 2001–02 Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Nets, Pierce scored 19 of his 28 points in the final 12 minutes of Game 3, helping Boston overcome a 21-point deficit for the largest fourth-quarter comeback in NBA playoff history.

Reader's Guide

Paul Pierce's career is marked by specific statistical milestones and team movements. He led the league in total points (2,144) in 2002 and was named Eastern Conference Co-Player of the Month twice in the 2001–02 season. On November 3, 2010, he became the third player in Celtics history to reach 20,000 career points solely in a Boston uniform. He passed Larry Bird for second place on the franchise's all-time scoring list with 15 points against the Charlotte Bobcats on February 7, 2012. After 15 years in Boston, Pierce was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in July 2013 along with Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry. He signed as a free agent with the Washington Wizards in 2014, then joined the Los Angeles Clippers for two seasons before retiring in 2017. In a final act of loyalty, the Celtics re-signed him on July 17, 2017, allowing him to retire as an official member of the organization.

Did You Know?

• Pierce was cut from his high school varsity team during both his freshman and sophomore years.
• He scored 41 points in Game 7 against the Cavaliers, the second-most in Celtics franchise history for a single Game 7.
• After being injured in the 2008 NBA Finals Game 1, he returned minutes later to score 15 points in the third quarter.
• He averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists per game during his senior year of high school.
• Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.