Paul Pierce

Background

Paul Anthony Pierce is an American ex-professional basketball player. Pierce is a Libra, born on October 13, 1977, in Oakland, California. He attended Inglewood High School and became the star player by the end of his junior year. Pierce grew up loving the Los Angeles Lakers. He dreamed of playing on the team. He attended the University of Kansas and was part of the Jayhawks from 1995 to 1998. In 1996, Pierce earned a spot in the U.S.A. U22 team and helped set their unbeaten record in the World Championship qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico. In 1997, he won the M.V.P. honors as a junior. He got drafted in 1998.

Pierce was selected by the Boston Celtics as their 10th overall pick in the 1998 N.B.A. draft. That year, he averaged 16.5 points and emerged the second runner-up in the Rookie of the Year Honors. In March 2001, Pierce was named N.B.A. Player of the Month after averaging 30.3 points. From 2002 to 2006, he made the All-Star team each season. In 2008, Pierce led the Celtics to their 17th N.B.A. Championship with a 4-2 victory over the Lakers. He was named the N.B.A. Finals Most Valuable Player for that game after averaging 22 points per game. He made his 20,000th point in 2010 against the Milwaukee Bucks, and in March 2013, he recorded his third triple-double of the season.

Pierce married Julie Landrum in 2010, and they have three children together. He joined E.S.P.N. as a studio analyst for “The Jump” and “N.B.A. Countdown” in 2017, and his jersey was retired in February 2018.