Pierce was born in California and had one team when he was a kid.
The same team that featured Magic Johnson, helped define the NBA’s rise in the 1980s, and was a bitter cross-country rival of the Celtics.
“I was an avid basketball fan. And growing up in Los Angeles, Inglewood, down the street from The Forum, I couldn’t stand the Celtics,” Pierce told ESPN in 2019.
“I hated the Celtics so much. You understand the rivalry. I hated Larry Bird, I hated everything about the Celtics.”
Pierce wasn’t just drafted by Boston.
He thrived on the East Coast, a world away from the glamor and sunshine of Los Angeles and the Showtime Lakers.
“Growing up on the west coast, especially LA, you hate the Boston Celtics,” Pierce said. “You’re just you’re grandfathered into that.”
From 1998 to 2013, Pierce was a Celtic and only a Celtic.
He finished his 19-year NBA career playing for four teams, including the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards.
But even in 2024, Pierce is instantly associated with Celtic green.
In franchise history, he ranks only behind John Havlicek for the most points scored and is first in made 3-pointers (1,823) and free throws (6,434).
Pierce is a Hall of Famer with 10 All-Star selections and a 2008 NBA Finals MVP.
When he led Boston to a world title in ’08, the Celtics beat his favorite childhood team — which featured Kobe Bryant — on basketball’s biggest stage.
It was Pierce and his Celtics defeating Los Angeles’ Lakers 4-2 for a shining trophy.
“It’s real ironic that I get drafted by the Celtics and play against the Lakers and win a championship against them,” Pierce said.
But he wasn’t done with the Celtics hate.
“Larry Bird, I hated him more than anything,” a smiling Pierce said as he recalled his fandom before turning pro, which all changed after the 1998 draft.
LeBron James was in the crowd and received a standing ovation before the Celtics extended their playoff advantage to 3-1 over Cleveland.
Boston then pushed aside the Cavaliers and moved on to the Eastern Conference finals again.
Jayson Tatum scored 25 points for Pierce’s old team, adding 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Tatum is appearing in his fifth conference finals since joining the Celtics.
“It just shows the character of the team, the organization. People might think it’s a given we’re supposed to be here,” Tatum said. “We’re all in this together. … We’re doing something right.”