Now that Paul Pierce’s 19-year NBA career is over, here’s a look back on the top 10 moments of a Boston Celtics legend and future Hall of Famer.
With the Los Angeles Clippers‘ first round playoff exit in Game 7 last Sunday, Paul Pierce‘s 19-year NBA career has officially come to an end.
Though the 10-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection had been on his way down for some time now, the Clippers’ seven-game defeat at the hands of the Utah Jazz ended the prestigious career of a future Hall of Famer.
There was never a point in his career where he was the best player in the NBA. He rarely entered the MVP conversation and for most of his career, he toiled away on the Boston Celtics with some truly underwhelming supporting casts, unappreciated by most and misunderstood by others.
But now that the 39-year-old is officially done — as he had announced prior to the start of the 2016-17 campaign — it’s time to look back on his time in the league and what made it stand out.
In September, @PaulPierce34 announced this would be his final season.
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) April 30, 2017
Tonight, his 19-year career came to a close. pic.twitter.com/nvnEvUyB6i
Originally drafted 10th overall by the Celtics in 1998, “The Truth” played 15 memorable seasons in Boston, one season with the Brooklyn Nets, one season with the Washington Wizards and two final seasons for his hometown Clippers.
Over the course of his career, Pierce averaged 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, shooting 44.5 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from three-point range. Though his stats don’t leap off the page, he truly represented the hero ball era during the early 2000s and won one NBA championship in the process.
From game-winners to heroic playoff performances, here’s a look back on the top 10 moments of Paul Pierce’s unforgettable NBA career.