While there might be some basketball fans of teams other than the Boston Celtics who would diminish the legacy of Hall of Fame small forward Paul Pierce, former Miami Heat point guard and Celtics foil Mario Chalmers is definitely not one of them.
Speaking in an interview with Heavy’s Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Chalmers shed a little light on the longstanding animus between Pierce and his former teammate LeBron James, who battled one another for supremacy of the NBA’s Eastern Conference for much of the latter half of Pierce’s career in the league. “I think it’s something personal,” offered Chalmers about his fellow Kansas alumnus.
Buy Celtics Tickets“I just feel like Paul Pierce never got the respect that he deserved when it comes to him being that type of caliber player he is,” he added.
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“When you think about the top small forwards, you don’t name Paul Pierce,” he explained.
“You name T-Mac, Scottie Pippen, James Worthy… you name guys like that. And I just feel like when they named ‘Bron he’s like he’s did things and I should be up there, too, I did just as much as these guys did; I got the ring, I got the numbers… why is my name NOT up there? So I think that it’s a little personal matchup between him and ‘Bron. I don’t think it’s really any dislike; I just think that’s how he feels.”
Chalmers also had some feelings about Pierce’s clutchness, recently highlighted in a HoopsHype article and compared to Los Angeles Laker star Kobe Bryant by former teammate Ryan Hollins.
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“This is going to sound weird coming from me, but Kobe did it THROUGHOUT his whole career,” explained the Alaska native.
“Paul Pierce did it, too, but not on big stages like that because he didn’t have the team to do that on big stages so, of course it’s going to stand out more, but Paul Pierce is just as clutch as any of them. Just like ‘Melo; ‘Melo is just as clutch as any of them too but, ‘Melo doesn’t get that respect because isn’t on that big stage.”
For someone who was such a pest to the Celtics in the Banner 17 era, it’s probably odd to hear coming from the mouth of Chalmers.
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But whether it is simply respect for a former worthy foe or their shared alma mater, the former Heat floor general shares a high opinion of his one-time opponent in an era when Pierce has had his name dragged through the mud unjustly.
But those who followed his career even in the wilderness era of the Celtics know how talented the small forward was at the height of his powers, one of the most clutch wings ever to play the game.
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