Best quotes by Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce

American former professional basketball player

Paul Anthony Pierce (born October 13, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), predominantly with the Boston Celtics. He was most recently an analyst on ESPN's basketball programs The Jump and NBA Countdown.

Pierce was a high school McDonald's All-American and earned consensus first-team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas. 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 March 2001. He starred as captain of the Celtics, earning 10 All-Star selections and becoming a four-time All-NBA team member. 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 October 2021, Pierce was honored as one of the league’s greatest players of all-time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Along with Larry Bird and John Havlicek, Pierce is one of only three players to have scored more than 20,000 career points with the Celtics.

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, reuniting him with former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers. 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 with which he spent his first 15 NBA seasons.

All quotes by Paul Pierce:

At some point we all have to move on. Im here to create some kind of legacy in Brooklyn.

There's times you want to give up and times you want to move on ... you get so much satisfaction out of staying and sticking with it, and seeing things turn around.

The game isn't over till the clock says zero.

It's all a learning process. You've got to learn from experience, the battles you go through. Some guys continue to grow. Hopefully, that's what I'll continue do.

Once people start making comparisons to a player of the past, they want you to be that player. I try to go out there and create my own image, my own style, my own type of game. Right now I can't even think of one guy I've been compared to.

I don't think Kobe is the best player. I'm the best player.

Making the big shot wouldn't feel so good if missing it didn't feel so awful

Who cares who gets the last shot or scores the most points? Who cares who gets the credit? If we win, we're all winners.

Playoff basketball ... you've got to treat every possession like it's your last.

The Celtics don't celebrate anything but championships.

The rim is looking bigger and bigger every game.

At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is winning the ballgame.

When you give a team life, give a team confidence, anything can happen in a Game 7.

Listening and talking to my teammates has helped me learn the NBA game. I know that talent can only take you so far.

I've never been on the cover of a game. When people go into the store and see me on the cover of a game, maybe that will entice them to buy it.

A lot of guys look toward me for leadership. I feel like I can provide some of that.

I think the most important thing I work on is just my mental approach to every day, my mental approach to the game. How to come in each and every day focused, doing what I want to do, I think that's just the biggest issue.

I've never even been into those supplements or any of that. I don't even drink energy shakes. I'm not into that kind of stuff. You just get me an In-N-Out burger and some Popeye's fried chicken and I'm straight.

I don't get caught in the match-ups, trying to outduel somebody. It's a team game.

I probably visualize myself, the shots I'm going to get in the game, how I'm going to play defense, what we have to do to stop the other team's best player, what it's going to take out of me, the whole aspect of the game.

When you got it going, you got it going. I just keep my focus down the stretch. Thats when I want the ball. Im just not afraid to fail.

You know coaches. Sometimes they ramble.

Life changes when you have a child, when you have your own family. You become more careful about what you do. You're not going to be out late, going out to clubs, hanging out with your friends. You're going to be at home, taking care of your daughter, playing with her.

It's always been my dream to play in the NBA.

I just take what comes to me. If the drive is there, Im going to take it. If its not there, Ill take a pull-up shot. Im a confident player down the stretch and I feel like I can make the play when I have to.

When you win a championship, it is a great feeling, and you really don't want that feeling to go away.

I try to play within the flow of the team's offense.

I always wanted a little brother because I felt like the little brother had to do everything.

I'm the best player in the NBA.

I look for challenges to keep me going.

Both teams want to win and they want to do everything possible. You don't think about the fatigue factor. You're just trying to grind it out to get the win.

When you gotta go through something tough, I've always been a guy that just wants to get it out of the way.

Man, there's a lot of pressure when you put on that Kansas uniform with the high expectations everyone has.

There's a line that separates having confidence and being conceited. I don't cross that line, but I have a lot of confidence in myself.

I've always been a late bloomer. My body developed late. From ninth to 10th grade, I grew like 3 inches. Just kind of stretched out. I was like 6-1, grew to 6-4 in 10th grade.

I worked at a hospital for a week. And at a golf course when I was in college at Kansas for about a week. The tips weren't good so I quit.

It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to south beach now on to Memphis.

At the beginning of the season, I set my goal to see if I can lead the league in scoring, because I feel I have that kind of ability. A lot of guys say it, but it's not really in their grasp. I feel that's really in my grasp.

You've got to watch your back. We are targets as basketball payers.

Pulp Fiction is my favorite movie of all time.

Ubuntu is about a community coming together to help one another.

A lot of players know I've been around 13 years and this is my second lockout. I got a lot of respect. I know what's going on both for the league and the union.

Mostly I play sports games - football and basketball. 'Inside Drive' and 'NFL Fever.'

A lot of people that I've had around me have been my closest friends since junior high, back when we were exchanging each other's clothes, staying at each other's houses. That was before I had anything.

I like the Raiders. That's my favorite team.

Im just trying to be positive. I like the guys (Im) around. Even though were not at the record Id like to be, even after a loss, guys are mad, but then we have fun and you move on. They look up to me. Ive been around eight years. A lot of these guys were in junior high or high school when I came into the NBA. I see how much of an influence I am off the court. I try to be careful how I approach things on and off the court, because I know these guys are watching.

Being in the Final Four was a dream of mine growing up, and I was unable to fulfill that dream, but I feel like I had a great college career and won a lot of games.

My favorite quarterback is Donovan McNabb. I think he's a complete quarterback. I love the way he can scramble and throw on the run. He can do it all. He can control a game.

Kids get influenced by other kids.

I'm a competitive player, and I love being on the court. If the NBA cancels the season I'm definitely looking at my options and considering going overseas.