Former NBA player says he fears Paul Pierce more than Dwyane Wade in one key skill

Celtics

A former NBA player weighed in on the infamous Paul Pierce-Dwyane Wade debate. And his take may surprise you.

Paul Pierce raised some eyebrows when the Celtics legend said that he was better than rival Dwyane Wade. But some former players believe that in certain aspects of the game, there’s some truth to Pierce’s claims.

ESPN analyst and former NBA player Richard Jefferson has played many games against both players in their primes. Because of that experience, few people in the world understand either player’s game more than Jefferson does. On Monday, Jefferson gave a take on his podcast, “Road Trippin,” that favored Pierce.

“I will say this,” Jefferson said to co-hosts Channing Frye and Allie Clifton. “Ball in the hands for a last-second shot, I would probably fear Paul Pierce more than D-Wade.”

Jefferson was hesitant to answer this debate at first, and he did appear to lean more towards the side that says Wade had the better career. But in terms of needing to make a final shot to win a game, Jefferson would rather have Pierce take it.

“I need a bucket,” Jefferson said. “Down by one, I need a two, down by two, I need a three, tie game, I’m taking Paul Pierce in that situation over D-Wade,” said Jefferson.

Pierce’s resume as a maestro in the final seconds of games speaks for itself. In 2020, The Ringer compiled a list of the NBA’s leaders in game-winning buzzer beaters. They found that Pierce made seven last-second shots throughout his career, two of which were under the bright lights of the playoffs. He didn’t need much help creating those shots, as only one of those buzzer-beating buckets was assisted.

Pierce has made himself very clear that he believes he was better than Wade, claiming that he would be just as successful, if not more so, if he had All-Star teammates throughout his career like Wade did. Wade won three NBA titles with teammates like Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. Pierce won just won title, but is 17th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, more than 3,000 points clear of Wade.

“For a long time, my skills went unappreciated because I didn’t get to play with a lot of great players,” Pierce said in July. “And then I got to play with [Kevin Garnett] and Ray [Allen] past their prime. Four years earlier, you put me, Ray, and KG together, you think we’re not walking away with three [championships]?”

Pierce’s comments have received negative attention, including from Wade himself, who said that Pierce lives “rent-free” in his head.