If you ask almost anyone, Dwyane Wade had an overall better career than Celtics legend Paul Pierce. But according to one NBA executive, there’s a secret group of players out there who feel that Piece is actually better than Wade All-Time, even if they’re too scared to admit it publicly.
“Dan [Le Batard], I’ma say this about Paul,” Elhassan said on the Dan LeBetard Show. “Paul I said this — when you said Dwyane Wade, you made your comparison to Dwyane Wade’s career — everyone went crazy. I said, ‘What Paul said is something that a lotta NBA players think.’ And I’m not even agreeing with you — to be honest — but I understood what you were saying was from the heart and the truth, because I know there are a lot of players who think that but aren’t brave enough to say it out loud.”
As good as Paul Pierce was back in the day, his career is somewhat controversial in NBA circles. During his 15-year stint with the Celtics, Paul averaged 21.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 44.7% shooting. While he was a consistent All-Star in the East, he was often on the losing end of playoff battles and didn’t quite stack up to other superstars during his time, such as Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and (of course) a young LeBron James.
Once Pierce left the Celtics in 2013, his career took a turn for the worst and he retired ungracefully on a Clippers team that only gave him 11 minutes per game. In contrast, Dwyane Wade is widely celebrated by the league for his achievements during the same stretch, which includes three NBA championships with the Miami Heat.
Paul Pierce Says He’s Better Than Wade
When you compare their careers, there really isn’t a question as to which player had a better NBA tenure but Paul still firmly believes that he could have won just as many championships if he were in Wade’s position. He said so himself during an interview back in July when he tried to argue that he was a better overall player than the Heat legend.
Of course, most fans just aren’t willing to agree with that premise. Besides Wade just having more success than Pierce, his game was arguably more impactful as one of the top scorers, finishers, and playmakers we’ve ever seen.
As for Pierce, his argument isn’t entirely convincing but It’s no secret that his legacy has been tainted since he retired several years ago and that is no doubt the reason for his low approval among the fans and media.
Over the years, even former players have come out to condemn Pierce and the entire Celtics championship core. Richard Jefferson once called Pierce and Kevin Garnett the “worst human beings of All-Time” while Udonis Haslem threatened violence if he ever crossed paths with them again. Most recently, Pierce is remembered for his infamous Instagram Live video, which got him fired from ESPN.
Love him or hate him, Paul isn’t going to change for anybody and nobody has more confidence in his abilities than himself. Unfortunately, when it comes to his place on the all-time hierarchy, he may have to live with being ranked below some of his biggest career competitors.
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