Paul Anthony Pierce is a retired American basketball player who spent the majority of his 19-year NBA career with the Boston Celtics. Known for his scoring prowess and clutch performances, he earned the nickname "The Truth." Pierce is now a contributor on the FS1 sports talk show Speak.
October 13, 1977: Birth of Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce was born on October 13, 1977.
1995: McDonald's All-American Game
Paul Pierce participated in the 1995 McDonald's All-American Game.
1995: College Career Begins
Paul Pierce started his college basketball career at Kansas in 1995.
1996: USA Under 22 Team
Paul Pierce played for the USA's Under 22 team in 1996.
1997: MVP Honors
Paul Pierce won MVP honors in the Preseason NIT and Big 12 Conference tournament in 1997.
1998: Rookie Season
Paul Pierce began his rookie season with the Boston Celtics in 1998.
1998: Enters NBA Draft
Paul Pierce entered the 1998 NBA draft.
1998: College Career Ends
Paul Pierce finished his college basketball career at Kansas in 1998.
1998: NBA Draft
Paul Pierce was drafted into the NBA by the Boston Celtics with the 10th overall pick in 1998.
1998: All-American Honors
Paul Pierce was named a First Team All-American and finalist for the John Wooden and Naismith awards in 1998.
September 25, 2000: Stabbing Incident
On September 25, 2000, Paul Pierce was stabbed 11 times and had a bottle smashed over his head at a Boston nightclub. He underwent lung surgery to repair the damage.
2000: Sophomore Season
Paul Pierce began his sophomore season with the Celtics in 2000.
March 13, 2001: Earns Nickname "The Truth"
On March 13, 2001, after Pierce scored 42 points against the Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal dubbed him "The Truth."
March 2001: Player of the Month
Paul Pierce was named NBA Player of the Month for March 2001.
2001: The Truth
Shaquille O'Neal nicknamed Paul Pierce "The Truth" in 2001.
2001: Eastern Conference Finals
Paul Pierce led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2001-2002 season.
2002: Plays for USA in FIBA World Championship
Paul Pierce played for the United States national team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship, starting all nine games and averaging 19.8 points per game.
2002: All-NBA Third Team
Paul Pierce was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2002.
2003: Donation to Tufts-New England Medical Center
In 2003, Pierce pledged $2.5 million to the Tufts-New England Medical Center, where he received treatment after his stabbing incident.
2003: All-NBA Third Team
Paul Pierce was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2003.
2006: Selected for FIBA World Championship
In 2006, Pierce was selected for the United States national team for the FIBA World Championship but could not play due to off-season surgery.
2006: All-Star Selection
Paul Pierce was selected for the All-Star team from 2002 to 2006.
2007: Celtics Acquire Allen and Garnett
The Celtics acquired Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in 2007.
2007: The Big Three Formation
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen formed the "Big Three" in Boston in 2007.
2007: Most Steals Since 2007-08 Season
In the 2013-14 season, Pierce had his highest number of steals (86) since the 2007-08 season.
June 5, 2008: Game 1 of 2008 NBA Finals
On June 5, 2008, Paul Pierce returned from injury to lead the Celtics to victory in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Lakers.
2008: NBA Championship and Finals MVP
Paul Pierce led the Boston Celtics to an NBA championship and was named Finals MVP in 2008.
2008: 2008 NBA Finals Rematch
The 2010 NBA Finals was a rematch of the 2008 finals, where the Celtics and Lakers faced off again for the championship title.
2008: Looking to Repeat
The Celtics, led by Paul Pierce, aimed to repeat as champions in the 2008-2009 season.
2009: All-NBA Second Team
Paul Pierce was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2009.
June 29, 2010: Contract Opt-Out
On June 29, 2010, Pierce opted out of his contract with the Celtics, becoming an unrestricted free agent.
July 1, 2010: Free Agency
Pierce officially became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2010.
November 3, 2010: 20,000th Career Point
On November 3, 2010, Pierce scored his 20,000th career point during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
2010: 2010 NBA Playoffs
During the 2010 NBA Playoffs, Pierce hit a game-winning buzzer-beater in Game 3 of the first round against the Miami Heat, leading the Celtics to a 3-0 series lead and eventual victory. The Celtics then advanced to the NBA Finals after defeating the Cavaliers and the Magic but lost to the Lakers in a seven-game series.
2010: Three-Point Contest Win
In 2010, Paul Pierce won the Three-Point Contest at the NBA All-Star Game held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He became the first Celtic since Larry Bird to achieve this feat.
2011: 2011-12 Season Performance
In the 2011-12 season, Pierce averaged 19.4 points, 4.5 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game.
February 7, 2012: Second Place on Celtics' All-Time Scoring List
On February 7, 2012, Pierce surpassed Larry Bird to become the second-highest scorer in Celtics history during a game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
February 9, 2012: 10th NBA All-Star Appearance
Pierce was selected for his 10th NBA All-Star game on February 9, 2012.
March 9, 2012: 1,000th Career Game with the Celtics
Pierce played his 1,000th career game with the Celtics on March 9, 2012, against the Portland Trail Blazers.
2012: 2012-13 Season Performance
During the 2012-13 season, Pierce averaged 18.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
2012: 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans
In 2012, Paul Pierce was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans.
January 27, 2013: First Triple-Double of the Season
Pierce recorded his first triple-double of the 2012-13 season on January 27, 2013, against the Miami Heat, with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.
February 10, 2013: Second Triple-Double of the Season, Oldest Player Record
On February 10, 2013, Pierce achieved his second triple-double of the season against the Denver Nuggets and became the oldest player to record at least 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a game.
March 29, 2013: Third Triple-Double of the Season
On March 29, 2013, against the Atlanta Hawks, Pierce got his third triple-double of the season with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
June 28, 2013: Trade to Brooklyn Nets
On June 28, 2013, the Celtics traded Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets.
July 12, 2013: Trade Completion
The trade between the Celtics and Nets involving Pierce, Garnett, and Terry was officially completed on July 12, 2013.
July 2013: Trade to Brooklyn
Paul Pierce was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in July 2013.
2013: 2013-14 Season Performance
In the 2013-14 season, Pierce averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He also scored 1,000 points for the 15th straight season, a significant achievement in NBA history.
2013: Contract Extension
Pierce signed a four-year contract extension with the Celtics in 2010, keeping him with the team through the 2013-14 season.
April 11, 2014: 25,000 Career Points
Pierce scored his 25,000th career point on April 11, 2014, against the Atlanta Hawks.
July 17, 2014: Signs with Washington Wizards
Pierce signed a two-year contract with the Washington Wizards on July 17, 2014.
November 25, 2014: Passes Jerry West on All-Time Scoring List
On November 25, 2014, Pierce moved past Jerry West for 17th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
2014: Signing with Wizards
Paul Pierce signed with the Washington Wizards in 2014.
2014: Future First-Round Picks
Part of the trade to the Nets included future first-round draft picks for the Celtics in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
January 14, 2015: Fourth All-Time in Three-Pointers Made
On January 14, 2015, Pierce surpassed Jason Kidd for fourth place on the all-time list for three-pointers made.
February 2, 2015: Passes Alex English on All-Time Scoring List
On February 2, 2015, Pierce moved past Alex English for 15th on the all-time scoring list.
May 9, 2015: Game-Winning Shot Against Atlanta Hawks
On May 9, 2015, Pierce hit a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, giving the Wizards a 2-1 series lead.
June 27, 2015: Opts Out of Wizards Contract
Pierce opted out of his contract with the Washington Wizards on June 27, 2015, becoming a free agent.
July 10, 2015: Signs with the Los Angeles Clippers
On July 10, 2015, Paul Pierce signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
September 26, 2016: Announces Retirement
On September 26, 2016, Paul Pierce announced that the 2016–17 season would be his last in the NBA.
2016: Guest Analyst for NBA Finals
Paul Pierce served as guest analyst for the 2016 NBA Finals.
2016: Future First-Round Picks
The Celtics also received a 2016 first-round pick as part of the trade.
February 5, 2017: Final Game in Boston
On February 5, 2017, in his final game in Boston, Pierce started for the Clippers and played the first five minutes before heading to the bench. He hit a three-pointer in the final seconds, scoring his only points of the game.
April 10, 2017: Moves Up in Scoring Ranks
On April 10, 2017, Pierce scored 10 points in the final five minutes of the Clippers' win over the Houston Rockets, moving him into 15th on the NBA career scoring list.
April 30, 2017: Final NBA Game
Paul Pierce's 19-year NBA career came to an end on April 30, 2017, in Game 7 of the Clippers' first-round playoff series loss to the Utah Jazz.
June 28, 2017: Waived by Clippers
On June 28, 2017, Paul Pierce was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers.
July 17, 2017: Retirement with Celtics
Paul Pierce officially retired as a Boston Celtic on July 17, 2017.
August 2017: Joins ESPN
In August 2017, Paul Pierce joined ESPN as a studio analyst.
August 18, 2017: Jersey Retirement Announced
On August 18, 2017, the Boston Celtics announced that Paul Pierce's jersey would be retired.
2017: Right to Swap First-Round Picks
The Celtics received the right to swap first-round picks with the Nets in the 2017 draft.
February 11, 2018: Jersey Retirement Ceremony
On February 11, 2018, Paul Pierce's jersey was retired by the Boston Celtics, making him the 23rd person in Celtics history to receive this honor.
August 2018: Discusses Depression and PTSD
In August 2018, Paul Pierce opened up about his year-long struggle with depression, paranoia, and PTSD following his stabbing incident.
2018: Future First-Round Picks
Another future first-round pick was sent to the Celtics in 2018, completing the trade package.
2019: Reduced Role at ESPN
In 2019, Paul Pierce's role at ESPN was reduced due to concerns about his preparation for segments.
April 2, 2021: Controversial Livestream
On April 2, 2021, Paul Pierce streamed live on Instagram from a poker game, featuring women in bikinis, alcohol, and smoking.
April 5, 2021: Fired by ESPN
ESPN fired Paul Pierce on April 5, 2021, following his controversial Instagram livestream.
2021: Hall of Fame Induction
Paul Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
2021: Hall of Fame Induction
Paul Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
January 2022: Named in Class-Action Lawsuit
In January 2022, Pierce was named as a defendant in a class-action lawsuit against EthereumMax for promoting the token on social media.
February 2022: Securities Act Ruling
In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Securities Act of 1933 applies to targeted solicitation via social media, relevant to the lawsuit against Pierce and others promoting EthereumMax.
December 2022: Lawsuit Dismissed
The lawsuit against Pierce and others related to EthereumMax was dismissed in December 2022 due to insufficiently supported claims.
September 2024: FS1 Contributor
As of September 2024, Paul Pierce is a contributor to the FS1 sports talk show Speak.