"You don’t think about the Hall of Fame when you’re playing" — Paul Pierce explains what being a Hall of Famer meant for him
Paul Pierce
© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is the epitome of greatness and respect in the world of basketball. So, for obvious reasons, many NBA stars dream of getting inducted into the Hall of Fame and seeing their fellow all-time greats celebrate their legacy. However, former Boston Celtics superstar Paul Pierce wasn't one of them.
The Hall of Fame is just a bonus
Okay, before Pierce's take on the Hall of Fame gets blown out of proportions and context, what "The Truth" meant was that even though the Hall of Fame is one of the most prestigious accolades a player could achieve, in reality it's not part of a young hooper's basketball dreams. And that's what Pierce implied when he learned he was getting inducted last year.
"You don't think about the Hall of Fame when you're playing. Even as a kid, you're not thinking you want to go to the Hall of Fame," Pierce told Forbes. "…Most of the time, it's 'I want to go to the NBA' or 'I want to go to this college.'"
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On the other hand, make no mistake about the fact that Pierce knows the significance of being a Hall of Famer in a basketball player's life.
"To be inducted, that's something that's forever," he added. "When I'm long gone, my kids' children will see that and it's a place for me in basketball lore forever."
The Truth on the truth about making it to the NBA
Just by looking at Pierce's NBA resume, we can already agree that he deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. He's an NBA champion, a Finals MVP, a 10-time All-Star, and a member of the elite NBA 75 team. So, regardless of how controversial his IG Live scandal appeared to be, Pierce is still one of the basketball legends you would want to seek advice from as a youngster in the game.
"You only have four hundred players out of millions and millions of players trying to enter the league. You probably have a hundred million kids talking about going to the league next year. You don't just go to the league, you gotta put in the work. It's a process that you can't skip," Pierce once said.
Hate him or love him; Pierce is a true legend of the game. And if there's a Hall of Fame for those who always speak the truth, "The Truth" will surely be inducted into it as well.
