NBA fans roast Celtics legend taking credit for LeBron James' development: "Change Paul Pierce's nickname to 'The Lie'"
Paul Pierce, the legendary Celtics champion beloved for his clutch shooting and fierce competitiveness has another hot take about Lebron James.
Pierce, during Friday's appearance on Fox Sports' "Undisputed," implied he was influential in LeBron James' development from their battles playing in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and Conference Finals. NBA fans are not responding too kindly to his claim, with Pierce getting a bunch of shade thrown at him on X, formerly known as "Twitter".
"They should change Paul Pierces nickname to “The Lie”." as fan responded
"the Truth lying out of his ass with all due respect" said by another
"Yo act like he was in the gym shooting with this man. Bron was effortlessly destroying the Celtics everytime they matched up. The losses came from him not having help." chimed by another fan
This came after Team USA's exhibition victory over Canada, where the discussion centered on the tenacity of Canada's defense, specifically Dillon Brooks. Pierce, nicknamed "The Truth" for his on-court tenacity, claimed some responsibility for LeBron James' development as a player, saying:
"I feel I I truly feel responsible for taking LeBron to that helping taking him to that next level because when when he went to Miami game five game six in Boston where we had him on the ropes to go back to the finals he did I think that was the game that took LeBron to the next level to where his career"
NBA fans disagreed with Pierce's statement, taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their criticism:
"Bro thought he’s near King James level. In reality his ass is always whooped" wrote by JBOND
"Niggas be saying anything to stay relevant this day" said another fan
"Paul pierce makes everything about him .. Bron was gonna be great either way" commented by one fan
Candidly, it looks like Pierce was just having a little fun but, crediting Pierce for LeBron's entire development downplays the work ethic, basketball IQ, and natural gifts that made James a phenom from day one.
Paul Pierce identifies bench star, not LeBron James or Steph Curry, as Team USA's leader
NBA champion Paul Pierce is singing the praises of a different kind of leader for Team USA, Anthony Edwards. Surprisingly to some, Pierce declared Edwards the "clear leader" of the American national team for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
This comes after, LeBron James and Team USA won easily over Canada on July 10 playing their first exhibition game before the 2024 Paris Olympics. While it would be hard to make a case that anyone on the team has more of a voice than LeBron James, Paul Pierce disagreed:
“I think the clear leader of this team is Ant-Man ... because I noticed the game change when Ant-Man got in … It’s like his personality took over the USA Team,” Pierce said.
This is a bold statement. Team USA has all sorts of established stars like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. But Pierce noted it was Edwards who brought the energy to the team. The 22-year-old Minnesota guard was a spark off the bench, leading his team in scoring with 13 and his energy shifted the momentum of the game.
Maybe Pierce has a point. Edwards has been cemented as a USA fan favorite for his contagious energy and aggressive play from the moment he stepped foot on the court. Team USA might need his ability to pour in points and attack the rim more consistently.