Paul Pierce

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Pierce was a high school McDonald's All-American before earning consensus first-team All-America honors as a junior playing college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. After being chosen by the Boston Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, Pierce spent the first 15 years of his career with Boston. Pierce's nickname, 'the Truth,' was given to him by Shaquille O'Neal in 2001. He earned 10 All-Star selections and became a four-time All-NBA team member throughout his 19 year career. Pierce combined with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in 2007 to form a 'Big Three' that led Boston to two NBA Finals and an NBA championship in 2008. Pierce was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2008. In 2021, Pierce was honored by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Paul Pierce's career occurred on June 5, 2008, during Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. In the third quarter, Pierce suffered a severe injury that left him appearing to be in serious pain as he was carried off the court. Defying expectations, he returned minutes later and sparked the Celtics with 15 points in that same quarter, helping secure a 98–88 victory. This resilience set the tone for the series, where Pierce averaged 22 points per game over six games to lead Boston to their 17th championship. His performance earned him the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. The path to this title was grueling; earlier in the playoffs, he scored 41 points in Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. He also led a massive comeback in Game 3 of the 2001–02 Eastern Conference Finals, scoring 19 of his 28 points in the final 12 minutes to overcome a 21-point deficit.

Reader's Guide

Pierce was born in Oakland, California. His family later moved to Inglewood, California, where he attended Inglewood High School. He was cut from Inglewood's varsity basketball team during his freshman and sophomore years. In his senior year, he averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Pierce went on to participate in the 1995 McDonald's All-American Game alongside future NBA stars Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Stephon Marbury, and Antawn Jamison. He grew up a Los Angeles Lakers fan. In 2012, Pierce was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans. He spent three years at the University of Kansas between 1995 and 1998. He left after his junior season and entered the 1998 NBA draft. Pierce was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He spent the first 15 years of his career with Boston. In July 2013, Pierce was traded to the Brooklyn Nets along with teammates Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry. He signed with the Washington Wizards as a free agent in 2014. After one season with the Wizards, Pierce signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. He spent two seasons with the Clippers before retiring in 2017. On July 17, 2017, the Celtics signed Pierce to a contract, enabling him to retire as a member of the organization.

Did You Know?

• Pierce was a contestant in the 1995 McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest, which was won by Vince Carter's cousin, but Vince Carter himself didn't participate until the 1996 contest.
• Pierce scored 777 points as a junior—the fifth-most single-season point total in Jayhawks history.
• Pierce led the league in total points (2,144) in 2002.
• In Game 3 of the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals, Pierce scored 19 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as Boston overcame a 21-point deficit to beat the New Jersey Nets.