Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce was one of 14 finalists named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2021 class, including another Celtics icon, who’s heading toward Springfield for a second time.
11-time NBA champion Bill Russell, who was originally inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame back in 1975, as a player, is going back, this time, as a head coach.
Capturing back-to-back championships (1968-69) in his three seasons as the Celtics’ player/head coach, Russell went on to coach the Seattle Sonics (1973-77) and Sacramento Kings; compiling an NBA coaching record of 341-290 (.540).
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Shades Paul Pierce: ‘Truth Say Some Questionable… Sometimes’
Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum paid homage to Pierce on social media, Tuesday night, when the news of the class of 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame finalists were announced.
Tatum, whose shoutout to Pierce was accompanied by a top-34 countdown of the best plays of Pierce’s career, also took a shot at Pierce’s current day job as ESPN’s NBA analyst.
“(The) Truth say some questionable (poop emoji) sometimes,” Tatum tweeted. “But he was sure cold lol HOF!”
Paul Pierce The Future Hall Of Famer Vs. Paul Pierce The Analyst
Pierce’s transition from NBA player to NBA analyst was met with plenty of skepticism as Paul’s extreme takes grew from one bold statement to another. Awful playoff predictions are one thing — he once said the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks was over after the Celtics took Game 1 and then said the Houston Rockets were going to beat the Golden State Warriors in a blowout in Game 6 of the Western Conference semis — but it was what he said before the playoffs that caused a stir.
When pressed, Pierce said he had a better career than Dwyane Wade and NBA Twitter (and Tatum) hasn’t forgiven him since. It got so bad that ClutchPoints actually complied a popular list of Pierce’s worst takes; 2019 was a rough year for “The Truth.”
Since then, Pierce has gotten better in front of the camera but for what he did on the floor; he’ll forever be revered by his peers and, of course, the city of Boston and its diehard Celtics fans.
Paul Pierce’s First-Ballot Hall Of Fame Career
Throughout 19 seasons (1998-2017), Pierce averaged 19.7 points while shooting at a 45.5% clip, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Pierce, as the Finals MVP, led the Celtics to a championship in 2008.
He was also named to four All-NBA teams and scored over 26,000 career points. Joining Pierce and Russell in the Hall of Fame’s class of 2021 finalists list is former NBA head coach Rick Adelman, two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh, five-time NBA All-Defensive First Team recipient Michael Cooper, two-time NCAA national champion Villanova head coach Jay Wright, seven-time WNBA All-Star Yolanda Griffith, three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, and WNBA champion and Coach of the Year winner Marianne Stanley.
Paul still cracks top-20 (19) on the NBA’s all-time scoring list for total points scored and ranked second just behind John Havlicek (26, 395) on the Celtics’ all-time list. Pierce is also the franchise’s all-time leader in most free-throws made (6,434), 3-pointers made (1,823), and steals (1,583).
For 15 seasons in Boston, he averaged 21.8 points while shooting 44.7% from the floor, including 37% from deep to go with his 6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
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Celtics All-Star Trolls Paul Pierce After Hall Of Fame Announcement