Paul Pierce has played in the NBA for 19 years. During these years, Pierce has shared a well-known rivalry with LeBron James .
Over the years, Pierce has never missed a chance to criticize James in his career. And it seems like the former player has no intentions of toning the criticism down after his recent statement about James’ ball hogging.
The Boston Celtics star appeared on the recent episode of Undisputed hosted by Skip Bayless. The Los Angeles Lakers‘ loss against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday was being discussed on the show.
LeBron James‘ 40-point performance failed the Lakers to get the win. Pierce took this opportunity to call out the 39-year-old for not passing the ball.
Yes, LeBron’s been great numbers-wise, but he's got to take a step back. He gotta get the ball up a little more.
The 2008 NBA champion mentioned the Lakers’ wins against the best teams in the league while James was out of the games to back up his claim. The Lakers have won against the best of the East, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks, in the King’s absence.
Pierce further took James’ age into account and explained that the veteran needs to let the young players take the lead. The retired player believes the non-star players perform better when the Lakers legend does not participate in games, referring to players like D’Angelo Russell who scored 44 points in the win against the Bucks.
He is too ball-dominant. He needs to let the reins go. Pierce added
Paul Pierce calls LeBron James the greatest athlete ever
LeBron James is currently in his 21st season in the NBA. Despite being the oldest player in the league, the star still plays like he’s in his prime. His age and tenure have not made any difference in the four-time champion’s athleticism and skills. The King still has the power to steal the attention of the crowd when he is on the court.
Paul Pierce, who has been an arch nemesis to James for many years, recently switched sides and praised the Lakers veteran and his greatness. On the Dan Le Batard Show, the Hall of Famer picked James over NFL star Tom Brady as the greatest athlete ever. The former Celtic was astonished by the 39-year-old’s presence on the court. Pierce called the star “a joy to watch” and also wants fans to cherish the player while they can.
And I’m looking at a dude who’s 39. LeBron is probably the greatest athlete we’ve ever seen, just athlete. We’ve never seen nobody play at this level at this age. Paul Pierce via The Dan Le Batard Show
Pierce also acknowledged that Brady played in his 40s, but also pointed out the difference between the physical requirements for both sports.
Yeah, you could say, Brady, he played until he was 40-plus but he didn’t have to run up and down the court, jump, go out there and dunk, guard. Pierce added
Pierce reflected on James’ unchanged dedication and presence on the court even after playing for so many years. Keeping their rivalry aside and giving where the credit is due is a class act by Pierce.
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