Paul Pierce’s NBA career may very well be over after the Washington Wizard’s playoff exit, but he certainly made an impression on plenty of players around the league.
And one of them is LeBron James.
The Cleveland Cavaliers star said in an interview with The Plain Dealer on Sunday that he gives Pierce credit for making him the player he is today. James also added that he wishes Pierce the best if he does decide to retire.
“Obviously he gets a Cliff note or a couple notes in my book as far as guys that helped me get over the hump or kept me where I was at the time,” James told The Plain Dealer. “I knew I had to become much better individually. He’s one of those guys.”
Pierce and James have built up quite a rivalry over the years. Pierce and the Boston Celtics got the best of James and the Cavs in the second round of the playoffs in 2008 and 2010. But when James joined the Miami Heat, he, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh eliminated Pierce three times — twice with the Celtics in 2011 and 2012 and once with the Brooklyn Nets last season.
But James had nothing but praise for the guy who basically became his arch enemy.
“It’s great to have him in this league as far as the competition and what he’s done not only for the three teams that he’s played for, but for himself,” James said. “He’s probably going to be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. His numbers speak for itself. He’s a big-time player.”
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
