Hall of Famer Paul Pierce sat down with The Athletic's Michelle Beadle to discuss a plethora of topics from LeBron James to his exit from ESPN to his infamous wheelchair game in 2008 in the latest episode of "What Did I Miss?" released on Friday.
Hall of Famer Paul Pierce sat down with The Athletic's Michelle Beadle to discuss a plethora of topics — from LeBron James to his exit from ESPN to his infamous wheelchair game in 2008 — in the latest episode of "What Did I Miss?" released on Friday.
Pierce is one of the best players to step onto a court, evident by him being named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, but one of the moments he's most known for is his infamous wheelchair game in Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Lakers. Many have speculated that the 10-time All-Star soiled himself on the court, a detail he denies to this day.
"If you poop your pants, does it make sense to sit down and mush it in a wheelchair?" Pierce asked Beadle. "I would walk back there and go straight to the bathroom. Why would I need a wheelchair if I pooped my pants? You don’t sit down on your poop, right? It doesn’t make sense."
Speaking of the coveted NBA 75 list, created for the league's 75th anniversary this season, Pierce has received a fair bit of criticism for his inclusion. To which he says: Do your homework.
"This new generation is pretty dumb. They don’t do their research," Pierce said. "They listened to some of the stuff I said on TV about LeBron and Dwyane Wade and all that and they don’t understand that’s just TV. I got a lot of hate off of that. If they really did their research, they would know."
When discussing the all-time greats of the game, one name that consistently gets brought up is none other than LeBron. Pierce has said previously he doesn't yet believe James is a top-five player all-time on numerous occasions, but he certainly has respect for the Lakers star.
"I didn't like nobody on the court, but do I respect him," Pierce said of his former rivals. "Of course, I respect what he’s done for the game and the longevity he’s been able to provide and the shows he’s given us and spectacular athleticism."
Pierce wasn't completely complimentary, however, saying, "This team as constructed can not win a championship," when discussing the current Lakers.
To find out what else was covered during the conversation with Beadle, including Pierce's foray into the dating app world, be sure to check out the full episode of "What Did I Miss?" in podcast form or on YouTube.
(Photo: Noah Graham / NBAE via Getty Images)
Pierce's ESPN exit
In his post-playing days, Pierce continued to remain around the game by working as an NBA analyst for ESPN. However, in April, three days after the NBA champion posted a video of himself on Instagram Live drinking and smoking while playing poker with exotic dancers in the background, Pierce was fired by the worldwide leader in sports.
"I wake up the next morning … my phone got 200 messages," Pierce said to Beadle, his former ESPN colleague. "My Twitter is going off. I’m like what happened … 'cause I passed out on the couch. … I wake up to all kinds of people trying to reach me and I’m like, damn, what happened? Did somebody die?"
Advertisem*nt
The Truth approves of new officiating
Ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season, the league decided to cut down on offensive players attempting to draw fouls via non-basketball moves by implementing rule changes. From a player launching into a defender to kicking a leg out at an abnormal angle to off-arm hooking, NBA officiating crews have been cracking down on these non-basketball actions by either calling an offensive foul or allowing the game to continue with a no-call.
Many players, coaches and fans alike have praised the new changes early in the season, and Pierce is among them.
"I like the way it’s being reffed. I’m tired of seeing 100 free throws … all the flopping and flailing," Pierce said. "I hate that and it’s exposing some guys. We’re not seeing James Harden putting up the same numbers. It’s even affecting guys like Trae Young, who got to the line a lot. I like that you gotta earn it, which means it’s going to be even better in the playoffs. You gotta earn everything you get.”
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k2pvbmpgaHxzfJFqZmppX2aFcLzArqNmqJmav6SxjK2YpaOjYrmmrtGopWado6W7bq7UppmlnV2eu6etzKisrGWnnbKmuMKhmKKqXZyurrGMmqWdZZ2kv6Z51qKroWWdnrCpsculnGaalZaxrbGO
