Dwyane Wade fires back at Paul Pierce amid legacy debate
Basketball legacy debates have been and will continue to be one of the most popular and essential pieces of basketball lure, especially when the players speak for themselves. And for the second time in the last few years, former NBA forward Paul Pierce has publicly compared his career to another NBA superstar, Dwyane Wade.
It all started on an ESPN broadcast in 2019, when Pierce was asked who had the better career between him and Wade, citing his lack of exposure earlier in his career before joining forces with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen as a reason for his public career perception being lesser than Wade’s.
Pierce recently doubled down on his take when appearing on the internet show ‘It Is What It Is’, this time comparing the teammates that Wade played with throughout his career to Pierce’s and the impact on their success.
“Put Shaq [Shaquille O’Neal] on my team. Put LeBron [James] and [Chris] Bosh with me. I’m not gonna win one? You put me, LeBron and Bosh, we not gonna win one? We not gonna win a couple? … I can shoot the 3. I can mid-range. I can post up. I can get to the line. Who a better scorer?” Pierce asked. “For a long time, my skills went unappreciated because I didn’t get to play with a lot of great players. And then I got to play with KG and Ray past their prime. Four years earlier, you put me, Ray, and KG together, you think we ain’t walking away with three ‘ships?”
Wade finally broke his silence on the debate Tuesday, as he joined the ‘Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz’ ahead of his Hall of Fame induction this weekend.
He addressed living rent-free in Pierce’s head and the perception of ‘super teams’ in the NBA, but at the end of the day fell back on comparing himself to the former Boston Celtic, leaving that to the media.
“It’s documented,” Wade said. “I don’t need to say anything. Everything is documented. So, I’ll let you guys go ahead and talk about all that stuff. It sounds better coming from y’all than me. I’m done playing the game of basketball. I’m not comparing myself to someone who’s not playing the game, or who is playing the game.”
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Both of their careers are well documented, and when comparing the two like Jalen Rose did on ESPN’s broadcast in 2019, it’s hard to find many areas that Pierce excelled in better than Wade.
Pierce did play two more NBA seasons than wade, recording more points, rebounds, and assists than Wade. But when it comes to accomplishments Pierce’s one NBA title, one Finals MVP, 10 All-Star selections, four All-NBA selections don’t compare to Wade’s three NBA championships, one Finals MVP, 13 All-Star selections, eight All-NBA selections, and slew of other achievements that Pierce wasn’t able to attain like his 2009 league scoring title and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections.
All NBA debates are subjective, which is part of their beauty, but Wade may have put an end to this one with his final remark on the subject.
“I’m happy with career, and I don’t know who’s not happy with theirs, but I’m sorry if you’re not. But I’m happy with the way mine went,” Wade concluded.