Paul Pierce doesn’t have a lot of friends, according to Otto Porter — and he means that as the highest compliment.
Pierce officially begins his stint with the Washington Wizards when training camp opens next week, but he already has made an impression. Porter, who’s coming off a disappointing rookie season, said he has noticed in the past that Pierce isn’t quite as chummy with opponents as some other NBA players.
“You like competitive guys that take things serious,” Porter told J. Michael of CSN Washington. “He’s not the type of guy that has a lot of friends in the NBA. Like the old days. That’s good. That’s what our team needs.”
Along with 38-year-old point guard Andre Miller, 36-year-old Pierce brings an old-school edge to the Wizards, who advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last season. Pierce once did have many friends around the league — his relationship with Kevin Garnett played a role in building the Boston Celtics’ so-called “Big Three” with Ray Allen in 2007 — but after 16 seasons, most of those friends have retired.
Regardless, Pierce never took the court looking to make buddies, and he’s not looking to do that in Washington. If he helps the Wizards win, after all, plenty of people in the Beltway will want to become his BFF.
Photo via Twitter/@WKUSportsPics
