Club Shay Shay - Club Shay Shay - Paul Pierce Part 1

Episode Date: October 15, 2025

Description: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SHANNON and use code SHANNON and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Paul Pierce, NBA legend and Finals MVP, joins Shannon Sharpe at Club Shay Shay for a raw and unforgettable conversation about his life, legacy, and lessons learned. Born and raised in Inglewood, California, Pierce opens up about growing up surrounded by basketball greatness, idolizing Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, and using being overlooked as fuel to chase his dreams. From high school standout to Kansas Jayhawk, he recalls the early challenges that shaped his toughness and the mindset that would later define his career Pierce reflects on the night that nearly ended everything — when he was stabbed at a Boston nightclub — and how surviving that moment changed his perspective forever. He shares how it taught him gratitude, focus, and a new sense of pxurpose that carried him through the darkest stretches of his career. From there, “The Truth” details his rise with the Boston Celtics, the early rebuilding years, and how Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers trusted him to lead a struggling team. He talks about the franchise-changing trades that brought Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to Boston, how that trio built chemistry overnight, and what it took to turn the Celtics into champions again. He calls Garnett the most intense player he’s ever shared the court with, explains the brotherhood and tension within that locker room, and opens up about the fallout with Ray Allen after his move to Miami. Pierce reflects on his greatest on-court battles — going head-to-head with LeBron James, trading shots with Kobe Bryant, and matching up against Dwyane Wade, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Shaquille O’Neal. He breaks down the mindset, preparation, and pride it took to compete with some of the most dominant players in NBA history, explaining why Kobe’s intensity stood apart, why every duel with LeBron felt like a heavyweight fight, and how playing alongside and against Shaq showed him what true power and presence looked like on the court. He then shares thoughts on the modern era — from Steph Curry revolutionizing the game to Kevin Durant’s unmatched scoring ability, and how Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are carrying the Celtics’ torch forward. Pierce also opens up about life after basketball, reflecting on his departure from ESPN, lessons learned, and what he’s discovered about himself since retirement. Finally, Paul Pierce speaks on legacy — how it’s not about stats or trophies, but about influence, resilience, and truth. From Inglewood to Boston, from surviving tragedy to raising banners, from doubters to destiny — Paul Pierce’s story is one of perseverance, redemption, and greatness earned the hard way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From NBA champion Stefan Curry comes Shot Ready, a powerful never-before-seen look at the mindset that changed the game. I fell in love with the grind. You have to find joy in the work you do when no one else is around. Success is not an accident. I'm passing the ball to you. Let's go. Steph Curry redefined basketball.

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And remember, in case you missed it, don't worry. I've got you covered. Hey, everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find

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because what I came to realize is I valued winning so much that once it was over, I got the blues and I was like, this is it. For me, it's the pursuit of greatness. It's the journey. It's the people. It's the failures. It's the heartache. Listen to The Bright Side on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What if you guys were the same age?

What if you came in? Because you came in 98, LeBron came in L-O-3. If we were the same age, I don't believe he would have four championships. He wouldn't have got. You had kept them before? He wasn't got those two in Miami. You know, I was at an older age then, a lot of miles and stuff, and it was hard for me to keep up with them.

I'm going to lie. I'll be looking at that tape shed, and I'm like, like, damn. I couldn't even. even move. All my life. Brinning all my life. Sacrifice.

Hustle paid the price. Want a slice. Got the roll of dice. That's why all my life. I've been grinding on my life. Yeah. All my life. Sacrifice.

Hustle paid the price. Want a slice. Got the roll a dice. That's why. All my life. I be grinding on my life. Hello. Welcome to another episode of Club Shesh.

I am your host, Shannon Sharpe. Also, the propriet of Club Shay Shay, stopping by for conversation on the drink today is one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history. He's an NBA legend, an NBA champion, a finals MVP, 10-time All-Star, four-time all-NBA selection. A member of the very prestigious 75th anniversary team signified he's one of the greatest 75 players in NBA history. NBA scoring champ, NBA three-point contest champ, self-proclaim best score in NBA. Pure score in NBA history. Pure. Hall of Famer. His jersey is retired by two-storied franchises, the Boston Celtics and the Kansas Jayhawks.

He's a McDonald's All-American, Mr. Basketball in the state of California. Government name is Paul Pierce, but you know him as the truth. Here he is. Truth. Good to see you, Doc. I'm always, like, when I read off people's accolades, I'm always, I'm anxious to hear. When you hear everything that I read off, and it's not that you deserve that. You earned that. When you hear all the things that I read,

what's going through your mind? I'm like, damn, I ain't heard it like that in a minute in the real. I'm like, man, I really did left my mark on the game. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And it's come from childhood, you know, coming from here in Englewood and going through every stage and being one of the top from high school to college

to making it to the league. I mean, I've been blessed, yeah? You know what I'm saying? It's just a testament I think of my hard work, my dedication to everything, and it's showing, you know, based on what you read off. Right. Man, let's toast that then. Oh, man, it's great to have your own.

Man, for sure. You did break the Internet. You said you're the best pure score in NBA history. Because when people think of scores, having followed the game as long as I follow, people talk about Kobe, people talk about Jordan, they talk about Kevin Durant, they talk about James Harden. You said you are a better, a pure score. What is your definition of a pure score? All right, this is what I'm going to say because when I said it,

I didn't give enough context to it. Correct. And so, like, this is, I'll say it like this. If you just took everybody's greatest scoring strength or just say to athleticism, let's just say the athleticism. And put me in that realm with them. That's how I feel.

But, Paul, you know, people don't look at you as being athletic, Paul. You don't jump high. You don't run. I know. That's what I'm saying. That's why I feel I'm up. If you take the athleticism out of it.

Okay. Okay. You know what I'm saying? Yes. Take Jordan's athleticism out. Where he can't just jump over you to score. And we just do everything on the floor. Right.

I feel like my skill level is better than Kobe. Man, Cobb is close. He's close? What's your name? No, no, look. You closed to him, but he closed to him. Because if you ever watch Colf interviews about me, you know, he always talked about my footwork.

Yes. And Colve had elite footwork, too. Yeah. And so, like, Cole without his athleticism was still pretty elite because of that, because it's IQ and his footwork. Correct. And there's not a lot of players I can say that about once I take their athleticism. So if there is anybody, he's right there.

Well, Hardin is not the most athletic. Hardin can put the ball in the basket at an elite. level. Yeah, but looks at this. When you look at how you score. Okay. So like say like you look at hard one of the greatest scores ever had a historic season. But he was all threes and layoffs and free throws. Yeah. Like no midi. Like he could shoot the midi, but like think about this. I could come up like today's game, name me one player that can come off a downscreen and hit a jumper. Right. They don't even run that way. Nobody can do that. Like maybe Kevin Durant Yeah. And Steph Curry. Yeah. But like post game.

mid-range, off the dribble three, step back, off the pick and roll. We're not talking about nothing out of that, just getting buckets. I feel like, post-game, mid-game, elbow, three, all the way out. I had no offensive weaknesses, like not one. So when you said that statement, how many former or current NBA players say, true, man, what you talking about? I mean, they thought I was on something, but I'm like, they don't think like how a thinking and like how am I explaining and now I think it'll make more sense when people watch this you know when you say but even that take all the top scores take their best thing they do right and you can take the best thing I do see the thing about me you can't even tell me what's the best thing I do offensively because I think I do all of them the same really well you know what I'm saying like you can say courage take a shooting ability away right uh Jordan what his his fade away or whatever like you like what do you like what do you like what do you like what do you like what do you like what do you

you take away from me? Like, I can do, like, what's my greatest scoring strength? Nobody can even tell you, because I did it all well. I'm going to push you to the three-point line. I won a three-point championship context. I want a three-point contest. That ain't nobody guarding you, true. I mean, I've dominated games from the three. Yeah. Like, you know what I'm saying? So I say it like that. And it's not a knock on the great scores because I respect all of them. And, you know,

it was a knock on Jordan because I respect Carmelo, Kobe, and all of them. But I'm like, I'm right there. Right. You did something that you're the first player to win the three-point competition for Celtic since Lab Bird and you beat Steph Curry. Right. I'd always tell you. That's the thing.

It's not just winning the three-point competition is who you beat in order to win the three-point competition. I said, hey, Steph Curry was in the concert. They'd be like, oh, he was a rookie. It was still Steph Curry. It was still Steph Curry. It wasn't Steph Curry. That's all I need to know. Steph Curry was in the context because in 10 years from now,

That's Steph Curry and I beat him I don't know how old he was I don't know how old he was He was there Hey we're not talking about 10 years still We're not talking about 10 years still we're not talking about Is he the greatest shooter ever He's the greatest shooter ever

Well I beat him That's all I'm saying Kevin DeRead responding He said you know what He said I really didn't see any weakness in Paul's game I understand where his confidence comes from you mentioned i ain't have no holes i can post you i can hit the middy i can shoot the three i could drive the basketball i could drive and pull up you i can go to the

a i can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim you find me i'm going to the free throw line going to make 80 plus percent of those so when you look at it it ain't really that's what i'm saying like what can they do that i can't except jump over somebody right you know what i'm saying like I got I can shoot the three I can shoot the puller I can shoot all who's the greatest scorer Kevin Durant I can do everything he can do He just probably do it at a higher percentage

Oh yeah he gonna shoot that yeah yeah He gonna do it and that's the difference When you talk about the scores The efficiency in which he does The efficiency in which someone does something That's what they're looking at now That's what they're looking at But if we just talk about just the ability to do that

Put the ball in the basket That way right then I'm right there But like when you're doing it at a higher percentage It looks different like on another level. And that's what he does. In today's game, when you watch in today's game, you're like, okay, I see a little bit of my game in him.

Man, I say Shay Gilges, because he played below the realm. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? He's not just blowing by people. He's footwork, pivots and stuff, and he just gets to the money. Right. And so I can say him, Jason Tatum, I can say that about him. Yeah, I definitely see Tatum more so.

And Jimmy Butler, too. And the reason I see Jimmy Butler, because he get overlooked a lot. Right. You know what I'm saying? It ain't all flashy. No. You know what I'm saying? But he gets the point A to point B and it gets that's how I was.

And his mental, his mental is like we got the same type of mental type. And people like Flash. Yeah. That's why Jordan, because we had never seen a player like Jordan. I mean, the tongue hanging out, the way he got the ball in hand, got it in your face. He elevating over people. You know, Connie Hawkins and Dr. Jay could elevate. But Jordan, it was just something about that pizzazz.

And from that point on, which is nice. You find a guy that has that flash, Kobe came with flash. And it's like, now if a guy can score, man, he don't look like George. He don't do it like Cole. Right, right. You got to have Flash with it. As great as Shay is, I don't think he gets the appreciation because it's fundamental. Right.

We like things unorthodox. We don't need to want you want to know. You know, we come from the air, Shannon, to where, you know, as a culture, we're flashing. Yes. You know what I'm saying? Like the way we dress, the way we walk, the way we... You hear me before you see me.

Yeah, the way we play sports. That's how we play sports. So we gravitate towards that. We do. You know what I'm saying? And that's why when they start talking about the face of the league, they gravitating toward Anthony Edwards because of his flash. Right.

When Jason Tatum has won the chip now, has been on top of the world, and nobody really gave them that when they won. You know what I'm saying? So we look at that shiny, that's attracted, that we gravitate to. And that's why I never really got a lot of the credit. Because I wasn't that. I was more of a no-nonsense player.

And that's why I throw Jimmy Butler in there. He's like that. I feel like LeBron been the face of the league since his second or third year. You know what I'm saying? We was calling him the king from day one. You know what I'm saying? I heard about him in high school. NBA Cats was flying to his guy.

I was in the All-Star game. in Philadelphia, I never forget this. We was in the locker room because we all congregate both teams, east and west. They was like, it's a kid right now that can play in an all-star game today. And I was like, what? They were saying that in an NBA all-star locker room

while this kid was in high school. That's when I heard about him. So LeBron had to be what? 17s. 18. They was like, this kid can play in this game today. That's what they were saying in the locker room. Oh, my goodness.

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She's from a suburb, but we're going to group her in there. You're the best athlete? You're the best athlete. He probably meant more like basketball player. But I wouldn't even give myself best basketball. player. Oh, you're going to get at you? I give it to Lisa. Okay. I give it to Lisa lastly. I've always had admiration for her. She's from Inglewood. Okay, okay. You know what I'm saying? I had an honor to see her play in high school when you know the word around town. Inga was small. Yeah. So like,

you hear about people when you young, you're like, let me go check out. Everybody talk about Lisa. She scored 100 points like. At the half. Man, I'm trying to tell you. How you get 100 points at a half? Even if you by yourself. Right, right. She was cold, man. I'm tell you. I got to give flowers to Lisa. Right. You know, I looked up to her as a kid. watching her and morning aside grin that we come from the same place

right and so I give I give it to her give it her I'll probably be in the top three or four maybe basketball players

but like athlete that's kind of a stretch because there's so many great athletes come out to see because Cal is so big yeah yeah

what's your fondest memories of growing up in Englewood what did what did seven year old 10 year old 12 year old Paul Pierce what did he want to be

what growing up and running around Englewood What did you want to beat? Man, I think as a young black kid growing up, and like, so I'm going to tell you this. So, Shan, I was born in East Oakland. Okay.

You know, and then I moved to L.A. when I was, like, nine years old. Okay. So, like, everybody dream as a kid, it's just like to be in sports or rap. You know, that's just what it was in the black community. Yes. You know, we didn't feel like we can be doctors or the huckstaboo. Right. Even though we watched that, you know, we just felt like that was the only way out to ghetto.

And so my dream was always to be in the end. or professional sports because all our heroes was that. Yes. You know, unless you rap, you know, because I'm looking at other black kids and black successful people wrapped sports. Correct. You know, so my dream was always to be in the NBA, man. It was like, it was all or nothing.

You know what I'm saying? And I was a pretty smart kid. You know, I went to my classes. I'm not saying if I didn't make any hoop that I wouldn't have been, nothing, but I would have found a way to do something, whether it be sports or just succeed in life because I'm a hustler, I'm a grinder, and I'm going to find a way. You're going to find a way to figure it out. You just devoted.

It's not that you couldn't have been better in your books, but the books was about, let me do what I need to do to make sure this basketball thing pans out. And if that basketball thing don't pan out, then I'll think about something else. But you had a singular focus, and I think you have to. Yeah. Nothing else. Well, I got a plan. B, I got a plan C, I got a plan C,

I got a plan C, dah, I got a plan at A. Right. After a couple of years, if A don't work out, I'll get to B, C, and D. But right now, it's all eight. And then you don't realize how hard you really work or, like, people say it. Yeah. But they don't do what it takes to actually get to the dream. Yeah.

You know, like me, when everybody going out, man, I'm telling you, man, me and my boys, we used to, when I was like, in college, we would go out to the club and we'll leave the club and go to the beach. and run and go to the sand dunes and run up that hill. We were so obsessed with it. We was like, man, you know what? Ain't nobody talking about nothing tonight. Let's go.

Let's go to the gym. Let's go to the sand dunes. You got to be obsessed with it. My grandfather's to tell me and my brother now all the time we're growing up in rural South Georgia. He said, never mistake habit for hard work. And it took a while for me to understand I had to get older. See, people do things over and over and think they're working hard.

Just because you go to the gym every day, that don't mean you working hard. You're doing that out of habit. Yeah, for sure. So people mistake habit for hard work. And when they don't get the results, see, you can't complain about the results you didn't get for the work you didn't put in. Right. Man, man, coach messed over me, man. I was spoke, I was spoke, man.

Hey, hey, Paul, why not better to you? What's up, everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from Scouting Reports and player development To team-building philosophies, coaching trends in how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow.

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Now at Stefan Currybook.com. Don't miss Stephen Curry's New York Times bestseller, Shot Ready, available now. I'm Simone Boys, host of the Brightside podcast, and on this week's episode, I'm talking to Olympian, World Cup champion, and podcast host, Ashlyn Harris. My worth is not wrapped up in how many things I've won because what I came to realize is I valued winning so much that once it was over, I got the blues and I was like, this is it. For me, it's the pursuit of greatness. It's the journey. It's the people.

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What difference at this point does it make? Yeah, that's right. Lock her up. Listen to Fiasco, Benghazi, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts. or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's great. Yo, Paul, wasn't that better than you. You sure was. Yeah, you was, dog.

But you got complacent. Exactly. You got complacent. But it's funny to hear other athletes say it. And if you've been a professional athlete, you understand what it takes to get to that level. Yeah. Man, coach is like you.

Coach ain't put no ball in the basket. Coach ain't catch no passes. See, those people are as excuse makers. Yes. You know what I'm saying? Like, when they're, my mom, was like, you know, she always told me, like, listen, though, you're going to forge your own path and don't, don't get discouraged, but you got to put it into work.

But, like, don't make excuses for this shit. Yeah. Like, you, you, it's on you. If something happens, it's on you. Correct. Don't stop blaming everybody else because you're going to spend the rest of their own life blaming everybody else for your failures. Yes.

I blame me for every time I mess up something. That's the only person. And then I can get over it better. Yes. So it's easy. But you grew up in, you started your first nine years in Oakland, then you come to Englewood. The gang culture was heavily in both areas. How did you not succumb to that?

Man, that's a story we don't document enough. Like, I think there needs to be like a documentary on the way sports and gang culture came up, especially for like inner city kids. It kind of went hand in hand. Yeah. You know, because you grow up with guys and once you're, you start getting older you start forging your path but y'all still live in the same we still cool we still cool and so it's like you can easily get caught up because i've seen guys that was great at basketball

but they were still in the streets you know and and that comes from like i think having like the right people around you the right friends you know and the right parents i saw my mom struggle i was i come from a single parent home okay and i never met my father you know uh to this day Well, I've seen pictures of us when I was literally, I don't really remember it, though. No. Like, I was like three or four. Okay. But I don't have a memory of them.

And so, you know, the one thing that I always preached, like, don't be a follower. You know, because I think that's what, that's what, you know, the gangs is all about just following each other. You know. Or one of the people, I've heard people say, it's the only family I know. It's the only family I had. They made me feel like I was a part of something. And that's what family, you know, you're supposed to. supposed to feel the love, and I never felt love at home, but I felt love from this group.

But, like, if this is love, then why y'all beating my ass to get on? If this is love, why are you asking me to put my life on the line and have dangerous acts? Right. You know, I'm getting in a car and there's a drive-by. I can go to jail. Right. You know, I've been caught one of them cars, Shia. Man, I've been caught one of them cars, and I looked at my life flash between my eyes,

and I never got in that car. I didn't know what's going to happen. Right. But I was just like, I can't put myself in this situation no more. You know what I'm saying? Because I see a lot of my young friends get killed. I've seen a lot of my young friends. Like, it's crazy.

Like, as a kid, you don't really think about it because we're so used to it growing up. Like, it's traumatizing now. Like, when you think about it, like... What could have been or what could have been lost? But we taught to be tough when I just lost my friend. I was with at the movie yesterday. I went to, like, three funerals in high school. That's not, that's not normal.

Right, no, absolutely not. You know what I'm saying? But we looked at it as like, man, deal with it. Right. You know, this is what happens. You know, like today, you know, you're going to have to see or see somebody and talk about it. Whereas, like, you got to deal with it. But I'm like, man, just don't stay out, stay from this area.

Right. Watch, you know, watch. And that's not normal. The mindset, because, like, my mindset was like, man, I just want to make it to 21. Yes. Wow. You know, like, damn, what you want to be when you grow up? Man, I want to just be 21.

21. Because, you know, all the statistics was most young black kids before the age of 21 would be dead or in jail. Correct. And you hear that all the time growing up, and I was just like, get to 21. Paul, with there of a situation, I remember when, like, when I was in college and that I got to the league, I had guys that I went to high school with. I knew what they were doing, but they would never put me in harm's way. I would be somewhere. I was like, hey, man, I'm headed back downtown.

Anybody want to ride with me? They're like, gna, gna, sharp. I got that stuff on me. I ain't going to cause I ain't going to even put you in harm's way. You get stopped. They already know I'm dirty. They ain't going to talk about me. They're going to talk about Sharms' homeboy in the NFL, so forth and so on.

Because it used to be like that. Guys would not let guys, boy, you got some, man, get your ass out of here. You've got stuff going on for you. Get the help them around here. Yeah, that's what gang culture was. Once you started getting good in the neighborhood, that's the thing about the gang culture in sports. They started rallying around that. So they were just like, nah, you can't come over here today.

Right. Or, nah, we got to make sure you get home because if anybody going to make it a hood, we're going to make sure you make it. Yes. You know, and that's the story that don't get talked about. You know what? We're going to go to the games. Ain't nobody going to do nothing.

It was like your security. You got to get your way back then. Yeah, security way back then. Like, don't mess with Pete. You know, he's going to make it out. Right. You know, because if he make it out, we feel like we all made it. We do.

And that was, that was the culture. And that's what it was. I did have that. You know, it would be times like, you know, I'm over there. They're smoking weed and everything. Like, man, you got to go home, man. You know, go home, get home. I'm just outside around the corner.

Right. But this is what I live around. You know, they all standing outside. Man, go home, man. Get ready to get you. Go to the gym. I'll go shoot some hoops. Right.

All right, get out of here. Bet. You know what I'm saying? Is it true that you got cut from your high school basketball team as a freshman and a sophomore? Sophomore. Yeah, I got demoted. Like, so you tried out for bars and they put you on JV?

Yeah. Yeah. But then he brought me back. back up. He brought me back up because, look, we was missing some players. He brought me back up because we was missing some players. I think we only had like seven players for this tournament. Damn. You know what I'm saying? Because over the Christmas break. Right. Okay. I was going everywhere. So I was there. So he had no choice but to play. And so I started ball. I took

advantage of an opportunity. Yep. You know, and that's what people got to realize when your window is there, you got to seize it. Yeah. That was my window. Right. Because like, maybe I wouldn't And I gained the confidence I gained if I didn't take advantage in my window. And from that point on, it just, my confidence grew. Yeah. I was the youngest on the team. And then it was just like, man, you know what? We're going to keep him up on varsity.

He's going to start the rest of the year. Wow. Like the last 16 games started. And from that point on, that was it. That was it. I started gaining confidence. I was getting stronger. And I was just like, man, I can be good.

So now I'm like, shoot, I'm in a gym. Like, I'm getting better. Right. I'm starting, I'm growing into my little grown. man phase down. I'm just like, ooh, okay. Because, you know, when you get that confidence and you just see it. Comptus is everything is everything. When you start seeing shots

going and you're getting better and you're growing and you're like, oh, man, I can do it. And then I got the people around me saying, man, you can do it. You're like, I don't know who job I took, but he ain't getting it back. I ain't no coming back to this. You're about going to stay on Christmas break, bro. Yep, yeah, ain't no coming back from this.

Backtrack. The reason why you moved to L.A., did you burn the house down? I did have a situation like that, man. What did you mean, a situation? Man, I was a kid. You know, man. A lot of people don't know this story. Thank God's social media wasn't out because I was playing with matches as a like eight-year-old.

We had a little small, two-bedroom house and three boys in it. And I was playing with them. I'll never forget it either. I'm whiting up the quilt, blowing it out. Like, you know, we called it quilts then. You don't have a quilt. You remember the kids don't know about that, the quilt that was hand-made. So I'm blowing it out, seeing how matches worked, and it lit it, and it said,

and I looked, and I shh, and it was so out of control, and my mama bear room, I ran out and sat on the couch. You ain't tell nobody? Say nothing. Next thing you know, it's smoke, and next thing you know, man, we, we, man, I'm in front of the house, the whole neighborhood outside, fire trucks. Did you tell them what happened? Yeah, eventually I got my ass with a lot. They beat it out your heart. Yeah.

You know, and that's why I'm so proud that I made it. That I was able to reward my mom. You're right. With a house when I got to the league and stuff. This is the house I burned. Mom, this is the one I burned down. Man, this is true story. I got relatives to this day that I'll tell you this story.

Man, I'm telling you. And then, so as a kid, when I get back to the neighborhood, a year later, we moved back in the house, I guess, a year later. later we moved back in the house I'm going around the neighborhood they're like arson the older kids is calling me arsonist I don't even know what that is I don't have no clue what the arsonus is at the age of eight

you know what I'm saying so I'm like why they calling me that you know what I'm saying I was like damn and then later I found out oh you you know you set fires you said fire man you didn't get that smoke in the barrel PSA I know don't play with matches

man things happen for a reason you know did you ever try do you ever try football yeah I was good at football you were good at football what was this you played I was a quarterback and then I played D-N also I started in football and baseball

like but I broke my leg I was playing with older kids so I was like eight nine years old playing with like 13 14 year olds because I was a big kid broke my leg and then I broke my leg again when I turned 12

so I broke my leg twice before I was even even a teenager and so my mom It's like, you're going to stanch your golf. You can't play football. Yeah, they thought you're going to break your growth playing. Yeah, that's the stories we got told. Don't lift weights and don't, you broke some, you can't play no more.

But I was originally football and baseball before I even thought about basketball. Right. So. So high school, you turn it out. You go to the McDonald's All-American game. Yeah. And you was recently named one of the 35 greatest McDonald's All-American players in the history of the game. So what was it like, okay, you finish up your senior year, you get to call, Paul, you're a McDonald's All-America.

Obviously, if you play basketball, there's no higher honor for a high school basketball player. You missed a basketball in the state of California, and you get to invite McDonald's All-America. That was everything, because I remember my sophomore year, I told everybody, I wanted me in that game. I remember watching Jason Kidd in that game. When I was like, I said, I'm going to play in that game. I'm telling one of my best friends. It was like, man, shut up. You don't get out of here.

I said, watch, I'm going to play in that game. That's when my comments started growing it. So when I got that invitation, I was like, man, this is it. This is the top of the top. Yes. You know what I'm saying? And then I got KG there because the summer before me and KG played together A&U. He stayed at my house.

So me and KG history go way back. That explains it now because I was one necessarily with, damn. How they, I mean, they didn't come out together. And then the research it, I was like, okay, they was in the McDonald's All-American game together. I didn't know the AAU story, though. How many people know that AAU story? It's out there. So our AAUC coach flew Kevin out to L.A.

December, our 11th grade, going to 12th grade year. He was like, I got this kid, Paul Pierce, because then you have to read about cats. Yeah. You didn't know. Yeah, it wasn't anywhere in the day. You saw a picture that you couldn't see. So he flew him out.

He actually stayed at my place for a whole week. Right. And we practiced at Inglewood High School, and we drove out to Vegas, and we played in the tournament, won the tournament. And so that year, KG was in South Carolina, was going to move. He was getting out of South Carolina because he was dealing with some issues out there. So I was trying to get him to move out to Inglewood.

You could stay with me. So he was feeling either coming out to Inglewood or going to Chicago. Right. Wind up going to Chicago. And, you know, the rest is history. You left out of high school and all that. But that's when we started our relationship the summer before. Okay.

I'm looking at that game, KG, Van Carter, Stefan Marlberg. you're like okay because Vince won the MVP who won the All-Star game MVP KG won. KG won. Vens won the Dunk contest. Yeah, he embarrassed me in that What you? True.

You know you know how to fly. Hey, you know what? You know what's what crazy said? I was so excited to be in the McDonald's game. I participated in the three-point contest, the dunk contest. I just said, sign me up. I knew I had no business being in a day. But I was just like, so I'd be up.

You missed six dunks. I know. And then I seen Vince for the first time, and I was just like, whoa. Yeah, he's going to win. He's going to win a lot of these for years to come. He could have won the NBA dunk contest as a senior in high school. Because he was, I mean, you see old footage and his head is at the rim in high school. Man, that's what I'm saying.

I just was happy to be there and I wanted to participate. I'm trying to help me understand this. A kid from California, Inglewood, California. How the hell you end up in Lawrence, Kansas? Only Dorothy wanted to go back home. You're right. Kansas? No beaches.

Yep. And a whole lot of people that look like you out there. Not at all. And you're like, yeah, this is where I need to go. 100%. Hey, that, listen, when you grow up in the streets out there, you seeing what's going on, I need to get away. You're trying to get far away. I can't.

Far away from this. And I'm not coming back. I'm going to come back for a week to see my mama. Right. You know, it's crazy. I took my visit. You said, like, you know, you take your visit. Yeah, yeah.

Party, uh, uh, it's fun, it's fun. It's fun. When I went to Kansas, it was nothing going on. I was like, this is where I need to be. Focus. Locked in. I ain't got to worry about it because, see, if you and UCLA and USC, every weekend, you're going to be home. They're going to be like, hey, you want to go to the game.

They want to go back into the neighborhood. I came out there. I was like, you know what, this is just nothing going on here. They got a long John Silver's to eat I'm cool with that You know I'm coming here Right And that was it

Because I was mature I knew what I knew You know and I knew I was like man I'm not coming back to the wood Because it's too much Too much going on Yeah When you look at Kansas Flares

Where does Paul Pierce rank himself You got Will Chamberlain You got Embed You got Wiggins You got Danny Manning I mean you've got some great Kansas Jayhawk players?

I'll put myself in the top five. I'm going to say Wilk is the greatest player to ever come out of Kansas. And then, you know, everything's up for debate. You know, M.B. was the number one pick. Wiggins was the number one pick. You know, but if we just talk about your Kansas career, you know, you got to put like...

Danny Manning. Probably second. Yeah. I remember Dan in the Miracle. Yeah, Danny. There ain't no way he's supposed to. They're supposed to win a national championship. You got to put Danny, man. And I never even went to a final

I was the first team all-American and I had some good statistics but you know it's guys that really had great college career Mario Chalmers is in there quarter national championship final most outstanding player Morris Twins

Thomas Robinson he was national player at a year I think so we had some great players come out but I put myself in the top five because of what I was able to accomplish from college all the way through you look at the end of the story oh wait you're number two behind Will.

Yeah, I'll probably be number two. You can be number two behind. And that in the band, that ain't, that ain't, that ain't, that ain't, that ain't, that ain't, that ain't, that ain't. So now you come out, you have a great college career, you come out in your draft, Vince Carter, you got Dirk Naviske, you got Mike Bibby, Antoine Jamison, Jason Williams, Larry Hughes. So if they were to redraft, so you know what, we know what, we know we know now,

and they redraft, where you're going in the draft? I'll probably go number two. it'll probably be Dirk and then me. Yeah. Yeah, I would say that. You redraft then, you probably go Vince.

Yeah. Dirk, me, Vince. Then it's close from then. I mean, you could say Mike Bibby or Antoine Jameson. Something like that. Yeah, but that'll be the top three right there. Do you believe you should have won

rookie of the year? Man, as much as I was, the first month, but then I sprained my ankle. Let me tell you this story. I was in, my boy was living with me my rookie year. He came out from the wood, and he was like, oh, I was spraying my ankle. He came in, like, did you see what Vince did last night? I was like, man, I don't care what Vince did, like, because we competed for rookie year

the year. And I'm like, damn, you know what he is, Kelly. He's showing me all these dunks. And so I couldn't, I couldn't deny what Vince was doing this rookie year. Yeah, he was crazy. Man, he was going crazy. I mean, he was dunking on everybody. Man, he got Zoe, he got Rick Smith.

He got everybody. As a rookie, too. I mean, he just, that was his coming out party. And I was just like, I couldn't deny that. So I deserve a second because I miss, because I was hurt. If I didn't get hurt, it would have been a closer race. Closer rates. But Vince deserved that.

As a rookie, what are some of the thing? Because I think every league has what rookies have to go through Some people call it hazing or initiation. You got to bring donuts or you got to get chicken or burgers for the plate. You know what I'm saying? It's a ritual. It's an initiation that, you know, I'm like, man, I can't wait. I'm like, I will make the team next year just because I want somebody to bring me-ish

that I got to bring everybody else. That's the sole reason. So what as a rookie, what did they have you doing? Man, Cheryl, you know, you had to bring that care package to the vets. And make sure to put it in the bag, you know, got to go in the row. You know what that care package was. You know, you're going to have a little bit of everything. You weren't afraid, like, hold on, man.

Y'all put me at risk. Yeah. You know, man. Come on, Doc. At risk. Hey, you play it at the highest level. You know, you know, that care package. Hey, put that in the luggage when we get to the airplane.

Damn. And then I got to take the package back when we land. Whatever's left of the package and dispose of it. So you get drafted, you go into the Boston Celtics. What would you think like, damn, where did you want to go? Did you work out for the Celtics? No. I didn't work out for the Celtics.

That's what I'm saying. I was projected to go number two in the draft. So the number one pick was the Clippers at the time. And number two is Vancouver. Vancouver had a need for my position, but the Clippers did too. Right. And so I asked Elgin Baylor, let me work out again, because I wouldn't mind coming home to the Clippers my first year.

Who did they took olive candy? They took olive a candy. And then number two was Mike Bibby. Three was right from the France. Then it was like Antoine Jamison, Vince Carter. And you know, the crazy part, when they picked Jason Williams, white chocolate. Yeah. I didn't even know who that was at the time.

He went to sack, right? Yes. But I didn't even know who he was because apparently he went to. I didn't even know what college he went to. Apparently he got suspended for something and play. Right. And I was just like, I was sitting there like, who was that? Right.

You know, and then when Boston called me my name, I was just like, I didn't even work out for them. You know, and then, like, a good friend of mine is Chauncey Billups. I remember talking to him while he was in Boston. Right. And he was telling me how I was like, I was like, how the league is, man. You know, this is before I got drafted. Right. And he was like, man, you know, training count was tough, dog.

I got Ray Petino. He had like five or six of us on IVs. And I was like, what? Like, we running, like, y'all run like that in the league? He was like, yeah. So when he called, when he called my name Boston, that's all that's going through. That's all we're going through, yeah. He's going to kill us.

Oh, man, he's going to kill us. He's going to be on the IVs. So I'm going hard to suffer. Like, I ain't about to be on no IV. I'm running these sales. But it was just, it was a shock, truthfully. I didn't know whether to smile. I was smiling, but I wasn't happy.

Because you understand, Boston Celtics was one of the premier franchises in basketball. I mean, at the time, you talk about Knicks, you talk about the Lakers, you talk about the Celtics and the Bulls at the time because Jordan had re-invigorated. Everybody was talking about the Bulls. So you go into a storied, a historically great franchise, although they had been on some lean years, did you look at like, man, man, the history, it's hard to say an NBA team got more history than the Boston Celtics. championships, all those great names and those Jersey retired. You see six and 32 and 34, I mean, excuse me, 33, and you got double zero and you got coozing number retired and, you know, all the KC and Sam Jones. Yeah, you know, it's crazy when I first got there.

One of the first persons I met was Red Arbac, you know, because he's throwing a charity golf tournament before the season, so I had a chance to sit with him. He was like, Paul, come here. And I looked, and I didn't think he was talking to me. I didn't even think he knew who I was. Right. So I had a chance to sit down with him. But then it was such a blessing, Shannon, because think about this.

I'm a kid from Los Angeles area. Right. Going to the Boston Celtics. I'm really going to find out who my friends are. You know what I'm saying? Absolutely. Yeah. You know, let me see who rocking with me now.

Right. You know, because we, as L.A., as a black kid, we hated Boston. Hated Boston. We hated Boston. I'm a Laker fan. You know, it was that whole Magic Bird, Black, why that was a thing. What's up, everybody?

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What difference at this point does it make? Yeah, that's right. Lock her up. Listen to Fiasco, Benghazi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Absolutely. You know what I'm saying? So it was just like, let me see who the homies is now. But if they roll with you?

Yeah, but like I had a homie. I invited to the game. We played the Lakers. Man, he wore the whole Laker uniform. So we in the back You know, my mom My mom didn't play that Yeah

She was like, who's this? Right? He was with you? You can't be, we ain't doing that Because my mom The whole family gonna have my jersey

You know, my section I know He's standing next to all the Celties With a Laker jersey Yeah, with a Laker jersey Yo, this is all like, come on I know we're all from L.A., but it's time to switch up y'all

You put that on when you go back out there Yeah, that's cool, yeah But like damn You know, so I found out who the real homies was fast. You get that first check. Obviously, all the things that you're like, I'm going to the NBA, I'm going to be a professional athlete, and all the things that you wanted to be able to accomplish and you always

wanted to do, now you have that opportunity. When you got that first million dollars, what's going through your mind? Man, it took a while to get that million shan. Let me tell you this. When I got drafted number 10, my check for the year. was a million. Right. We had a lockout, so cut that in half.

Ooh. So then $500,000. Right. Taxes. Cut that in half. Yeah. So really, all I had us about like $200. But the time, your age and you get in 3% to 5%.

Yep. So knock that down. I needed me an apartment to rent. Right. And Boston. Probably what, $2,500, $3,000 at the time. Yeah. In L.A.2 and Boston.

Right. So I just had like my- You need a will. You got to have. You got to get around. Whimp, man, when I tell you, I had about, like, my first year, I probably had about, like, 10,000 left. Were you able to get mom anything?

Man, moms, I hardly gave her anything. I had to sign cards, you know, and I was, you know, and I was like, it's going to come in my life. But, man, I didn't even get her house my first year. Wow. I don't think I got her house until, like, my third. year. Right. So, you know. Well, you got that first big check, though. When you look at it, you sign, you re-up, and you're like, damn, man, this more money. I mean, when I was

dreaming, I don't know if the money, I don't know if the check was this big, even than my dreams. Right. But now this is a reality. Right. That's when mom's got that house. Oh yeah, mom, we're driving around Beverly Hills, we're up in the hills. You know, so I got her something nice. That was that. It was just so special for me to just see the look on her face, you know, and, you know, my mom old school, I got her a Cadillac. Right. You know, she was the new, it was the new version of the Cadillac, though, you know, because we, we always dream, like, I want, I want that Cadillac.

That El Dog. That was like, you know, in the Black neighborhood, the Cadillac was like Bens today. You know what I'm saying? A Cadillac was that though. Black, damn their same Cadillac, because that's all Black's got. They didn't get no Mercedes-Benz or BMW. They wanted the Caddy. Caddy, all-down.

They wanted that L-Daw. that a coop de ville That coop de ville That can't let coop Man They want that long boy Yeah But it was the new body style

At the time Okay Around late You know early 2000 Because we grew up Looking at that long thing With the couch seats Yeah

Yeah Yeah But I got her in Cadillacs And she was happy to You know She just wanted to get her Good outfits To go to church in

And her Cadillac Get her nice hat Just to have mom Looking like that church was like, man, everything. She pulled in there with a hat on and that new cat. The new caddy with the hat on. Just to go in there with her sitting next to her, that was everything for her.

Paul, we just talking a little bit of camera about guys making so much money and do through maybe it's a bad investment. Maybe it's a divorce. Maybe it's, even if it's kids, you had kids in the marriage and you're not divorced. If you have kids outside the marriage, you can imagine what it calls. I mean, private schools and, you know, all that other stuff, insurance, no things like that. And guys go in belly up. And now, it happens in a lot of sports.

But, you know, football players, even though they're making great money now, their money's not guaranteed. Basketball players, you see $100 million, they're going to get $100 million minus the taxes. $200 million, they're going to get $200 million minus the taxes. $300. I think Luca can be the first guy to make $400 million in 28. having been around and seeing guys, like, how does a guy lose that kind of money? Man, I think people don't understand, like, because when people see you saying, like, today the number is so ridiculously high. This would be hard to lose that.

Yeah. So, like, my maximum contract, my first contract was $80 million. Right. So let's cut that in half. That's $40. $40. Minutes of $3 to $5% for the agent. Age and fee.

Boom, you talk about that. Then you talk about you, you want to get out. house. Yeah. Now I got a big deal. I want to get a house now. So I spent like $4 or $5 million on the house. State taxes on that.

Now I got, you know, the family on payroll. Yeah. Boom. So now that's about another like half a million, which every half of million costs you a million. And so it can go faster than you think. Yeah. You know, and then everybody ain't making my money.

Right. You know, majority of the league is making lower than that. But here's the problem that they run into. Half the league ain't making your money, but that same half of spending your money. but that same house spending your money. Now you want, now, yep, right, now I want to go stun at the club, have nice meals. Yeah. I want to go to the club.

Get that bottle service. $5,000 every time I go out to the club? Oh, man, all right now. Shoot. Oh, damn, I got, let me take care of this girl over here. Let me throw her $2,000 a month on rent. This is my girl. You know, I don't want to live with me, but I'll make sure she got her apartment.

You know, that, that. Get her nice little car, get her, get her nice car, get around. This is my girl. Yeah. You know, I got her a little something. That's my girl. Right. And I don't want her, you know.

So that's... What about the homies? You're flying the homies out. You got three or four homies. You bring them out. Family. They're first class. They stand in the...

If they're not staying with you, they stand in the hotel. You pay for everything. Paying for everything. And they got that reflective shine. So, hey, that's Paul Pied, that's me. Then you're going to go on at least one trip. One. At least one.

You got about four or five of them. And you're paying for everything. Where are we going to stay at? Threats. The Ritz. Well, Pete, what's your room? Oh, I got the Fitt House suite. Right, you're right.

But the rich, the regular rooms is $800 a night. Right, right. And you got there a week. Your room $2,500 a night. Right. Man, and then you keep constantly doing that. Right. That add up.

Man, people don't know. If you ain't got them endorsements, I was fortunate enough to have some endorsements, so I used to use my endorsement money. I'm going to use that. I'm going to use that, pay for that, put my NBA money over here. Right.

You know what I'm saying? But, like, for the guys who ain't making max deals, man, you look up after five, six years, you look up and like, man, I'm check to check. Yeah. That happens a lot.

It does. And is gambling? Because, you know, we're very competitive. We're comparative of everything. Man, let's shoot for $5,000. Let's shoot for $10,000. Let's play tongue. Let's play bourette.

Let's play guts. There ain't nothing for free. The black culture is built around gambling when you got money and you're successful. Yeah. You see it everywhere. with us. You know, you see it in the music videos, shooting dice, you see the car games on the planes. You know, guys want to be, you know, they want to impress their girls high

road, you know, and I was a victim of that. I was going gambling, you know, going. You did casino gambling. Yeah, I was going to the casinos and stuff and doing all that. But you're playing Black Jack. I like Black Jack. Yeah. I play Black Jack. And it's easy when the money rolling in. You know what I'm saying? But I had a lot of examples around me. to say like, you know, you better slow down. Right. Like, they losing money.

You can end up like this, you know. My teammate, you know, Antoine Walker was a victim. Right. Of gambling. And he told the story that, you know, hey, I'm bringing all my homeboys. I'm taking five, ten homeboys with me.

I'm gambling five, ten, 15,000 a hand. Yeah. Yeah, I never did that. No, no, no. My limit is like 300 a head. That's a lot. But see, what happened is.

is you get around somebody that got that kind of money and they're playing like that you want to impress people yeah i seen that they ain't i see now i'm watching that that i like this while like i don't have a chance to watch you know mich or jordan and charles barkling and them and i was like yeah see mike he might be trying to he know he want to bet enough to make you uncomfortable bro i'm not going to lose my house fully with you trying to impress you nah hell nah you know and you know a lot of guys get caught up with taking the credit lines. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So I don't take the credit lines. So I bring... Once you got

what is... Once you got what I came with? Yeah. I'm good. I'm good. That's it. This is this. And this entertainment you took this? All right, I'm good. I'm good. In Boston, you had a situation. You got stabbed. Neck, back.

You got hit over the head. Had you ever had any issues in Boston before that incident? I never had no issues before that. You know, I was in my third year. Yes. I have had no problems in the streets. Right.

With nobody. I really believe that it was an isolated incident. Okay. And, you know, I think egos got involved in it. Yes. Okay. You know what I'm saying? And it shouldn't have happened. You know, it's a situation to where I tell the story, you know,

we played pool. We ended up the pool game went over to the club you know it happened so fast shannon it was so crazy because we literally just got there it was me the uh tony batee derry batee maybe a few other guys and it was just like man i'm i'm young yeah i'm going to have a good time to hunt is there it's going to be lit i want to talk to some girls or whatever i mean what i'm in the league right am i doing something wrong right no i'm not doing nothing wrong i want to meet some girls that's attractive I'm, you know, I'm young, successful, and, you know, and I get into a situation. And it's still blurry.

Like, I don't remember completely because I was like, I had a concussion from it and everything. But the only thing I really remember was three girls and one guy, you know, and it was just like a situation where I wasn't disrespectful. You know, I never want to disrespect. somebody that I, in a situation in a town where I don't know. You don't really know what's going on. But my fault, where I messed up at was we walk in as a group. Yeah. And I tell off.

I don't go to the section with them. Right. I walk this way instead. Yeah. Like when you together, y'all are supposed to stick together. Got to. You know, and that's a lesson I learned. It was a hard lesson.

Yeah. You know, because if some escalated, at least if my guys were there, they could have de-escalated it. Correct. And, you know, I wouldn't end up in that situation. And, you know, it happened. It was just like, I guess it went from talking to some girls to an argument pursuing. And then next to you, you know, I'm feeling attacked.

So I'm just like. It was one guy or was both? Man, it looked like one guy right here. But, like, after it was all said and done, it was like three or four guys. And I'm a big dude. Right. You know what I'm saying? So you ain't going to just take me down.

Right. And so, you know, the reports that. came out from the people who was like, man, if you didn't fight for your life, you would have been dead. They was like, you was fighting, but they was a jumping on you and everything, but you were still fighting back and everything, and, you know, when three guys were three knives, it's three knives.

Wow. You know what I'm saying? It wasn't just one. Right. It was like three, it was like, based on the puncture wounds, it was three different knives. Wow. So they all was boom, boom. Poked you. And I'm just so blessed that like, damn. They said if you didn't have that level

coat on, it would have been much worse than what it was, you possibly could have lost your life. Yeah, I had a tough leather, Averach's jacket. I wish I had a picture of it because it was shredded. Right. And then when I came out of all of it, I just remember the end of it.

You know, I'm looking at myself, like, I'm like, bloodied up, boom. I just remember wiping the blood. I couldn't, it was like profusely, bleeding profusely. And then it was just like, damn, I need to go to the hospital, you know, because my clothes is soaked in blood. And fortunately, I made it down the stairs

because I got pulled into like a black room over here and go down the stairs and the hospital was literally one block away. Like literally, I could have walked there but we drove there and got it. Man, who knows? If the hospital wasn't right there, I couldn't be sitting here talking to you today.

And, you know, that right there really changed my life. Did it change where you go? Did it change how you move? Did it change how you talk to people? Did it change how you assembled the women, you know, like, okay, you got somebody? Because if you got somebody, I don't want to hear this, I just broke up last, me and my man broke up last week, or, you know, I'm getting a divorce, but we still together. How did it change the way Paul Pierce interacted moving forward?

Man, it just changed. Like, you said a lot of it. It changed how I went out because after an incident, I didn't go out for a couple years. Yeah. I can imagine. It took a couple of years for me to step into a club again. You know, it just changed my whole mindset

because I didn't realize how many people it affected. You know, I'm sitting in the hospital and I'm seeing stacks of letters and I'm seeing, you know, my mom's my brother's everybody. Your mom word to death because your mom in the church so she's a woman of faith.

Man, woman of faith. Pray every day. Like, and I'm just like, damn, I'm looking at how it affected everybody around me. And it was just like, man, I put myself in a situation to where I affected all these people that love me. And I was like, I can't do that again.

Never. I can't do that again. I'm like, I'm too valuable to the family right now. You know, I'd have made it this far not to throw it away like this on some bullshit. Yep. You know what I'm saying? I don't have to go to the club. Like, you know, I came out here to hoop.

You know, and I ain't even signed my deal yet. Right. I ain't even got my big deal. What am I doing? Right. You know, and I know you young. I want to have fun. But everybody, truth, I tell guys all the time.

I say, there are a lot of guys that are excited and happy, yeah, man, that's true. That's sharp. Man, man, how you doing? I love the Broncos. I love the Celtics. But there's another group that feels some type of way because of who you are. Oh, you think you could talk to my lady. Oh, you can, you know, your lady choosing me, bro.

I didn't say anything. But it's that way And so for me, that's one of the reasons Why I was very, very How I moved and I didn't really go out And I only went out This one teammate when I was in Denver If he wasn't going, I wasn't going

Right And we always, we walked in together We never left separate When he walked in, I walked in When I walked out, he walked out And I look And I would tell the guys, you know, a lot of times Because a lot of guys do feel this way

truth is that they see somebody their football player and they touching somebody I said bro don't do that I said you got to understand a man going to fight really really hard in front of his lady because he's not going to let you plunk it right I say and you don't know what he got on him so just let

that go let it go hey you know at a situation man I'm about to fight my own teammate he's like he's touching the girl he's like oh you got something on your back oh he's with you I said oh I said bro No, no, we're not going to do that.

But you have to understand. Did you ever go back to that club again? No, never again. You know, and if there was some advice that I can give to the young professionals coming to the NBA or coming to the NFL, whatever sports you play with you at a high level, I would say, like, you know, I was on a young team. I should have got with a vet.

Yes. You know, right away, like, man, you know, I want to go out with you. I want to kind of see how you move and everything. Because I don't know how to move. Right. I'm still learning how to move. to, you know, make the money and what to do with it when I go out. What, you're 21, 22?

Yeah, I'm 21, 22 years old. I don't know how to move like that yet. I'm not knowing that, like, maybe I should get a security guard or a table or have them escort me in a certain different way. Yeah. You know, and stay with the group. Like, you know what I'm saying? So for the young players and the young hoopers or whoever you are a successful black

athlete who are in the line, like, you know, get with somebody who's been there done that. Right. Who've been around for a minute, though. Not no four or five year. like somebody 10 years in the game or something like that understand like you got to do it like and talk to them you know so that's what i was like from that point on did it change like the type of woman that you dated or the type of woman that you would like interested in because you know sometimes

you know you like we like we like but sometimes what we like get us in trouble true that yeah but you can't go to the places where they're going to be it they're going to be they're going to be You know, I know exactly what you're talking. I can't like, I know I like what I like, but if she can't get there, I probably don't either like her, you know, but if she- Because that ain't her first time probably. Yeah, exactly. And it's just like, you never know.

Right. You don't know. And that's why you need to get with the vet, because the vet can pull your coat tail. Hey, bro, I know she looked good, but, hey. Yeah, she didn't been around. She didn't been blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, so forth and so. so not put you in harm's way because you know how guys are

you get with somebody they're going to let you they ain't going to tell you at first they're going to clown you yeah they got they're going to clown you I'm just telling you how to be real having been a professional athlete and see young guys come in and see this young lady that has dated several guys on the team

and maybe one of the nuggets I've seen that you know what I'm saying but I don't know because I'm not out there like that. So I don't know until you bring around. And then when I see, I'm like bro, bro, what you doing? No, man, I got a good girl.

Yeah. No, you don't. Yeah. But at that point in time, no matter what I think of her or know what she's done, I got to respect that man's choice because he chose her. Yeah. And the last thing I want to do is cause friction between he and I.

Right. But you can't let outside interference ruined the locker room I didn't see in that man for sure absolutely

so you gotta have that talk you know like come on man it'll ruin the locker room if you go that route you know and I don't want to have to break the news to you later you know

because I didn't see that but the bottom line you just got to be careful who you with where you go areas you're in what time you in and out so you know

I never stay to the end no no no no no no I never stay to the end, no one. I'm never going to hear last call. Never. You're not going to be, they're not going to be putting the stools on the bar. All the lights come on so you can really see everybody before. If you stay too long, if they're doing, if they're saying last call, if they put the

stools on the, if the lights come on, you stay too long, bro. Yep, yep. But there's a lesson to be learned. I'm happy that the lesson that I learned that I'm still here. that I can get a game to the future and the young general. I'm not saying not to go out and not have fun. Right. Enjoy it.

You know what I'm saying? Because it comes and goes. Yes. But be careful and be smart. Be smart. Boston, we have a lot of different stories. I mean, Mr. Russell. Bill Russell wrote a book about what they did to him.

He's the winning this sports. I mean, 11 championships and 13 seasons and everything that he had done. done. He had fought for the civil rights. I think it was a 67 summit that he was there and all those guys that he did that. And I've heard a lot of people come from the outside and say, well, Red Sox fan and Boston fans, they yelled this and they yelled that. I don't know if I've ever talked to a player that actually played for the Boston team. What is it like playing in Boston? Did you see any racism? Did you feel any tension? I never had a chance to experience that Shannon, I think, you know, as fans sometimes when opposite teams come in, you feel

like, you feel a certain type of way. You feel a certain type of way. You know, Boston is a sports city and it's hate amongst our fans toward anybody else who ain't Boston. Right. You know what saying? You might have a guy in there, lickered up and, you know, might get outside itself. What's up, everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies coaching trends and how front offices construct winning rosters every week we study the tape talk to decision makers and share the insights you won't find anywhere else is the kind of conversation that connects the dots from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow we break down the

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It's never happened to me. Right. You know, being that I was a player there, I was loved there in the city. You know, as times I went to the restaurant, got a standing ovation. I just like, I mean, it's a real sports town. But, like, I've never felt like the racism. And, you know, but, you know, you go back in a day, you know, a lot of the Irish. migrated to Boston and a lot of them

was, you know, racist. And so I'm sure there was a lot of parts of the city where they're still like that. I just never experienced it. Right. And you didn't go to those parts to try to figure it out if they were racing about. I mean, I wasn't at the Irish pubs. Right, right, right. You know what I'm saying. Right. You're not going to Charlestown. You're not

salvi? No. To give them my opportunity to get licked up and call me a... Right. How tough was it? You get to the Celtics. You understand the tradition of the Celtics. You You understand the tradition of the Celtics, 60s, they won all the time.

The 70s, they won. The 80s, they won. Now, you get there, and you guys are struggling. How tough was that to deal with? Because, like you said, the Boston fans, they're used to winning championships. They won 8 in the 60s, and they won what they won in the 70s, and they won what they won in the 80s. And now you're in the 90s in the early 2000s.

You guys aren't winning championships. Yeah, well, you got to understand. The support system is amazing. From the former players? Yes. Man, that kept my head up. Just Red Urabat coming in town. Going to dinner with him.

Like, keep your head up, giving me a cigar. Bill Rustle, going to dinner with him. You know what I'm saying? Hanging out with Cedric Maxwell. You know, they kept my sick. That's my guy. Brad, you behave, though. Bread, my man.

Yeah, man. He's a great dude, man. Man, that's like my big brother. I used to tell him everything. And, you know, just having them around just like, man, what do I got to do? You know, I'm talking to Bill, like having dinners with them. And just like, man, you just got to stay on the path and everything. And, you know, they kept my sanity of not wanting to get traded or go somewhere else.

You know, just having those guys around Jojo White. Yeah, yeah. You know, he lived there. He was instrumental to me just keeping my sanity going through all the losing years. It's just like the family of the Celtic culture kept everything together. So, you know, that's what I try to bring now with this generation. You know, I try to be there at the games and go to practices and call Jason and time and time again. Take it and Brown, see if they good or, you know, so, you know, I try to just carry on what they was able to do for me.

Man, that's awesome. Did you ever think in those years you got drafted in 98 and then it was a long time before you won that championship, did you ever think you was going to win a ring, true? man because you see like damn Kobe is Shaq man they win it all damn

and you see the Spurs with Tim Duncan and Manu and Tony Parker they're winning man I'm gonna tell you I didn't think it was gonna happen

Shan like this 2006 7th season when I broke my foot 30 games in I believe and we lost 18 games in a row I was just like damn we farther off

than I thought we was we more than one piece way. Yeah. So I was like, I didn't think it would happen, you know, so I'm having meetings with ownership, Danny, Doc, like, you know, man, this is the year Kevin Durant coming out. I'm telling you, this dude, we're looking at Kevin like, ooh, y'all need to, you know, and we got young Perkins, we got young Al Jefferson, young Tony Allen, them guys was out of my range,

you know, for winning. You know, I got to wait for them to develop in four years. I'm going to be on my 10th year or 12th year I'm gonna be like out of my prime or something so I didn't think it was going to happen but that was the crossroads

that was the crossroads thing it was like a blessings in the skies that I broke my foot that we lost that many games because we was at least middle of the road team would be healthy we was like hovering around 500 but when I broke my foot

and we was able to get that draft pick that led to Ray and Kevin it was like a blessing in the skies because I was ready to I was ready to go. Wow. Because you was not good enough to win the championship, but you wasn't bad enough to lose the tank

and get a top three, top four pick. I'm on losing teams, and I'm still making an all-star game. Wow. You know, I'm still, every year losing teams, and that's hard to do. Yeah. On a losing team, still, they're like, man, he's in the awesome game.

He's in. But we lose it. And so I was just like, man, it ain't going to happen. But that was the crossroads of the summer. to where we stay supposed to be favorite to get the number one pick right the fifth pick I had a watch party for the draft

I was like oh I'm thinking like we could Kevin Durant I can stick around right this kid gonna turn the franchise around yeah I can see that we didn't get it I thought that was it I thought I was out of there yeah then they maneuvered got Ray I was like oh hold on

they just traded for Ray I know I'm sticking around you ain't gonna trade for an older player right to not have me right so we must me and rumors Kevin coming, y'all we're trying to get Kevin? Oh man, that's all I ever wanted. That's all I ever wanted. You good now. Man, all I ever wanted was just a chance.

Right. Just give me a chance. You know, like, when you look at the great players, like even look at LeBron, he needed Wade and Bosch. Yes. I don't care how great LeBron was. He needed somebody. You ain't. It's tough to win by yourself. You need other great players. You can win but winning a championship. Win a championship, right. You got to have another great

player, you know, and so it was a blessing in the skies and, you know, the rest was history. Is it true that you demanded to be traded to the Maverick? I actually was in the club that summer and ran into Mark Cuban and

dirt partying. Went to their section, and I was like telling my agent I want to go play them. Because that year, oh yes, so that year, they was a 50-win team. I think there was the number one seed in the West, and they lost the first round.

Yeah. So I was just like, this is perfect. Definitely you and they lost to the Warriors, wasn't it? Yes. So I was like, I thought it was lined up. I was like, ooh, they can win it. They need, if they get me, because they already really good. Yeah.

We can win it. So my mind was like, ooh, I'm all dirty needs. So I'm like, I'm trying to line that up. Like, ooh, if I can get to Dallas, they're already good. I can give them that extra dog they need. But it didn't work out. And the Celtics did what they did. Right.

Is it true that you and Kobe had a bet that who was going to get traded for? Yeah, we did. Then, how do you know about that? Dan, that's crazy. He was at UCLA playing a pickup game. Right. And this is the same year.

We both garbage. We both in the lottery. Yeah, UCLA, we're playing against each other. Then it was like the rooms was over. So, you know, he sat on the sideline. I was like, man, we're weak. He was like, yeah, I'm trying to get out of there. I think he was talking about Chicago.

Yeah, you almost got dealt with Chicago. I think he was talking. That's how men was talking because we used to play in the summer. And he was like, man, I'm going to get you out. He was like, I'm out of here. I said, I'm out of there too. And then we was like, I bet I'll get out of there before you. He was like on the sideline chopping it up like that because we were so bad the year before.

And then the crazy part about it, that next year we're in a championship against each other. Ain't that crazy? Because that's what they got power, right? Yep. Yep. The summer before we both were thought we was out of there. Out of there. Out of there.

Do you believe had they not gotten power, had you not got Ray and ticket, do you the left? Yeah, 100%. The marriage would have been over. It would have been too frustrated. I wasn't going to be happy. It would have got to the point to where I probably would have forced my way. It would have went boiling over. But when you get ticket, you get Ray.

How are you guys able to blend it? Because normally it takes time for a team. You guys have never played together. Maybe you played with Ray when he was in Milwaukee. y'all was in the All-Star game together, but Ticket was always in the West. I know you had a relationship with Ticket when he was in the McDonald's All-American game, but you guys had never played together. How was Doc able to mess you guys?

Those are a lot of big personalities now that you've got to mess together. That's a lot. You got to break into a locker room. Yeah, I'll tell you one thing. Doc is great at that. Man, what Doc first did, when we first did the press conference, man, we went on a dugboat ride, just us three. We went around the city, and we was just talking about.

talking to doc, like how we're going to make this work, you know, because everybody, it was a lot of speculation that I was going to be the eye man, that I was going to be the egotistical one out of everybody and Paul is, he's going to be selfish, he ain't going to work with them. It was a lot of people saying that. And I was just like, all I wanted was some other teammates. With an opportunity. Opportunity. But I will tell you, like, Kevin, he was the lead dog in all this, you know, to be honest, because Kevin is the most selfless superstar ever in history. Wow. He came in and was just like, Paul, this is your team.

I just here to help. I was just like, damn, because I was thinking like, man, Kevin's the man. You're talking about a guy that's an MVP? He just was like, P, this is your squad. I just want to help win a championship. Man, I ain't trying to step on no toes. Everybody dropped their egos at the door. But the thing is, we all have previous relationships,

whether it was me with Kevin, Kevin with Ray, Kevin with both of us. And that whole summer, we talked on the phone. every day. Call Kevin. Hey, let's put gray in. Boom, man. Let's get the Boston early, man.

We're going to do this. Man, we was making, we was making summer plans to win the championship the summer before. That's how we was talking. We're going to win it together. And then we win it,

we're going to go to Italy. That's the conversation you had. We're going to go here. I'm telling you, we was already seen it. Yeah. Y'all was already locked in like that. Man, we seen it. We was like, man, we're going to win this.

And, of course, and everybody, we're on the cover every magazine. I'm talking about, people hate it. Right. Oh, man, the teams are across the league. Like, they ain't won nothing yet. Why are y'all crowning them? Right.

But it just, it was like the Holy Trinity. It just came together right away. So, man, it was just, it was crazy. I couldn't believe. When you look back at it now, it do take time to come together. Yes. It came right together. Like, day one, we got out the gate like 7 and 0.

Like, came out, like, it didn't have no issues. You know what our first issue was? The first round of the playoffs. Like when we went to Game 7 with the Hawks. That was our first adversity. We had no adversity throughout the whole year. We came out just smacking teams, like, out the gate. First adversity was in the playoffs.

That's when we started learning more. Game 7 first round. Second round, another. Game 7 again versus LeBron. Like, man, we're like, oh, damn. What you guys got past that? You're like, we're going to win the championship. 100%.

Once we got past that young bull, I was like, it was all down here. But then you think that, like you get Detroit, but then you got to run into the bamba. That's why I was telling people, it's hard to win. Yes. It's hard to win a chip. Shannon, you know this. Yes, for sure. The hardest thing to do is win in professional sports and then win consistently.

Yeah. Because you can have a little success, and sometimes a little success goes to people here. Right. Because the hardest, you know, I remember we won the first Super Bowl. bowl. Gary Kubiak, who was our officer coordinator, he called me in office he said 84, he'd say, you know what, congratulations he congratulating, he's like, he said, you know,

the hardest thing to do, he says to repeat. I said, why you say that Kooke? He says it's because everybody thinks they're the reason why they won. He said, the people that cut the grass out there, right? The reason why do you want is because look out of who we cut that grass. Right. The people that craft services that bring the food, it's them.

It's the people that clean. It's them. Everybody thinks they're the reason why. Yes, yes. And that's not it. We saw that with our team, you know, and you see it. Like, once you win it, people think they can do more. Yeah.

Didn't do more before. You know what I'm saying? Yep. Like, you saw that. Yes. We saw that too because people wanted more of a role now. Yes. They went from like, nah, I want to, no, I want to, you know, I'm making the fries.

I want to make the burgers now. Yeah. Like, no. No, I don't want to make no. I'm going to be cashier. I don't need to be back to how they can't agree popping on me. Right. I want to be, and who was that to cash here?

Now they want to be a manager. Right, right. Now you're like, come on, man. Absolutely. This is why it worked. This is why this, you know, this is why this system worked because he was doing that. The super team. You guys were, so people don't want to say it, but you guys were a super team.

Because Ray was a perennial all-star, for sure. Ticket was a perennial all-star and an MVP. You were a perennial all-star. I would consider that a super team. Did you consider it a super team at the time? The way we was flying in these cities in our hotels, it was packed outside. I got what I do.

That's what I do. I didn't know at first, but when we landed in certain cities and that crowd would be out there in front of that hotel, Yeah, we were a super team. But you know what? And what irks me is that I'm old enough to remember is that seems like fans are okay if a team put a super team together.

They've always been super teams. What the hell you think the 80 Lakers were? What do you think the 80s Celtics were? They were super teams. They were. I mean, think about it. Byrd is a 50 anniversary team. So is Kevin McKeel and so is Robert Parris.

They had Dennis Johnson. They had Tiny Archibald. Five Hall of Fame. They had Bill Walton. Look at the Lakers. Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Wiltz, Bob McAdoe. I don't know if y'all notice anything. All those guys in the Hall of Fame.

So they were a super team. They've always been super team. Go back and look at the 60 Celtics. They had 11 Hall of Fame of the 13 guys. Look at the Lakers. So they've always been that. It's just that guys now have better relationships. They grew up like you and Kevin.

They play AAU ball together. They're comfortable playing. What Byrd would have never wanted to play with Magic. What Burry didn't have a relationship since he was 9, 10 years old with Magic. So the only time they saw each other, maybe was the McDonald's All-American or once they got to the NBA.

Yeah. But I think the problem of what people have with the super teams today or whenever, you know, Kevin and LeBron, is how they came together. Right. You know, like ours was manufactured. It wasn't like, hey,

have come play with me. Right. You know, it was Danny maneuvering the trades, and hopefully things had to have to have. Well, everybody ain't got Danny Ains, though. They had to have the right pieces and all of that. And so I think people kind of frown upon, like, you know, Brian going there and Durant going, you know, where he went. But, you know, you got to have other great players to win. You got to.

Just think about it. The Lakers won the NBA title and got the number one pick in the draft. so just imagine if y'all that won the title and the next year y'all get the number one pick of the draft they won the NBA title and got James Worthy

how is that fair yeah I don't know how they was maneuvering back then Jerry Buster and Redd all back I don't know how they was they was running the league because you know back then

you could like declare for the draft and then Larry Bird declared for the draft and went back yeah so that's how the Celtics kept And the Celtics kept its rights.

Yeah, right. So just think about it. You're like, but yeah, no, I'm going back to school. And they still got your rights. Right. So it was, and back then, you know, they had territorial rights. So you come out, you was going to a city that was close by you. There's a lot of things that were that, if they were to do that now, people lose their mind.

Yeah, there were some things. That was some chess going on back then for sure. Yeah. And that's why the league grew to where it grew into. This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part 2 is also posted, and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listen to Part 1 on. Just simply go back to Club Shet Shay Profile, and I'll see you there. The NFL is rolling.

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