Paul Pierce makes bold claim about his place in NBA history after LeBron James' comments
'I was probably the best pure scorer in the history of the game,' the longtime Celtic said Thursday on FS1's 'Speak' show. 'I was pretty equipped.'
Pierce made the head-turning comments during a segment about whether or not Durant was the 'most equipped scorer' in league history, as LeBron James claimed on a 'Mind the Game' podcast episode with KD and Steve Nash.
3 Paul Pierce said he thinks he's the best pure scorer in NBA history.
@TheDunkCentral/X
Pierce couldn't help but insert himself into the discussion.
'I need to be in this conversation,' the Hall of Famer said, as co-host Keyshawn Johnson prodded him.
'Could you pull up from the elbow?' Johnson asked.
'All of that,' Pierce replied.
'Could you knock down the three?' Johnson asked again.
'All of that,' Pierce said.
3 Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James appears during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, on Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles.
AP
'Could you back them down? Could you turnaround?' Johnson asked.
'All of that,' Pierce replied emphatically as the debate went on.
Pierce admitted that he shot with worse efficiency than Durant, but claimed that KD 'doesn't really see defense' because he can get his shot off on anybody with his 6-foot-11 height.
'I shot more bad shots than Kevin,' Pierce said. 'But because he's seven feet, he can get his shot off on anybody.'
Durant boasts a career effective field goal percentage of .554, compared to Pierce's .500.
3 Paul Pierce claimed he was a better pure scorer than Kevin Durant.
NBAE via Getty Images
Pierce, a 10-time All-Star who won Finals MVP with the Celtics in 2008, went on to praise Durant for how he 'changed the game on the perimeter' as one of the first ultra-tall NBA players to come into the league with supreme guard skills.
'All [Durant's] matchups and the way he shoots the ball and gets to the hole, he's efficient with it, so I can see why LeBron would say that,' Pierce said. 'But shoot, you gotta put me in that talk when it comes to most equipped scorers now. Come on, Bron.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Insider Offers Warriors' Future Plan With Jonathan Kuminga as Restricted Free Agent
Insider Offers Warriors' Future Plan With Jonathan Kuminga as Restricted Free Agent originally appeared on Athlon Sports. NBA free agency has been at a rapid pace since beginning at the beginning of the week. Advertisement Teams have flurried to sign free agents, but the Golden State Warriors seem to be staying patient with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. Jonathan Kuminga, 22, has expressed his feelings towards his current situation, saying that he wants to get a bigger role with whatever team he lands with, but those decisions aren't in his own hands. Golden State Warriors wing Jonathan KumingaEakin Howard-Imagn Images As a restricted free agent, Kuminga is still under the Warriors' control, giving Golden State every right to evaluate options as the summer progresses. It's unclear if a team will be willing to offer Kuminga the $30-million-a-year he's looking for, but talks involving his name have been heating up in recent days. Advertisement Although the relationship between the Warriors and Kuminga is on a rocky path currently, Golden State is in an overwhelming position where they don't want to move on from a young talent without getting anything in return. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on the situation, and according to inside sources, the Warriors decision on Jonathan Kuminga could wait out until sometime later in the offseason. "[Mike] Dunleavy and Golden State's front office would like to find a solution to what has become a grand mess, but it doesn't look like this will occur before NBA Summer League," Siegel reported on Thursday. Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga© Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images There's no certainty behind the current status of Jonathan Kuminga's future team, but whatever franchise the 22-year-old lands with, they will be bringing in a future star in the making. Advertisement If he stays in Golden State, it'll be hard to see the 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward getting more usage with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green running the show. Jonathan Kuminga has never averaged more than 26.4 minutes per game in a season, but his 16.1 PTS, 4.8 REB, and 2.2 AST in 52.9% shooting in 2023-24 before the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler highlight the forward's significant upside for any team in the league. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New Update Emerges on Jonathan Kuminga-Miami Heat Trade Rumors
New Update Emerges on Jonathan Kuminga-Miami Heat Trade Rumors originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There is growing suspicion that the Miami Heat have an interest in making a trade for Golden State Warriors unrestricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, according to a recent report from Miami Herald sports reporter Anthony Chiang. Advertisement The report notes that even though Miami is interested in Kuminga, it is exploring other players to acquire in a trade. The reasoning behind this decision is that Miami is looking to add another talented player to its roster, led by All-Stars Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Miami is also rumored to have interest in making a blockbuster deal to acquire Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to a recent New York Post article. Due to the rumored trade talks, the Heat's front office has yet to hold a free-agent meeting with Kuminga, who is a restricted free agent, meaning Golden State can match any offer sent to him. However, another roadblock facing Miami is its salary-cap situation for this summer. The Heat are well beyond the current $140 million cap. But there is a way around this financial issue, according to Chiang. 'Any move for Kuminga would almost definitely need to come through a sign-and-trade transaction since Miami doesn't have cap space, and any team that acquires a player through a sign-and-trade is hard-capped at the first apron of $195.9 million,' Chiang reported. Advertisement Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00).Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images The rumors come as Miami is preparing for a challenging offseason centered around one of their main role players. They are waiting for forward Duncan Robinson to decide whether if he wants to extend his early termination option by the deadline on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. A formal decision has not been made, but if Robinson decides to exercise the option, he will become an unrestricted free agent, and his $19.9 million salary for this upcoming season will be off the Heat's roster, according to Chiang. But if he decides to let the deadline pass, he would remain in the Heat's lineup, and $9.9 million of his $19.9 million salary would become guaranteed money. If Robinson is willing to exercise his option, this will help Miami free up some cap space so they could potentially make a trade for Kuminga. But it comes at the cost of losing Robinson's superb 3-point shooting, which was has helped the offense generate points by creating second-chance opportunities. Related: Draymond Green Disagrees With Steve Kerr's Bold Statement on Warriors Player This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bucks Linked to 12-Time All-Star as Damian Lillard's Replacement
Bucks Linked to 12-Time All-Star as Damian Lillard's Replacement originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Milwaukee Bucks are making some intriguing roster moves as NBA free agency heats up. With the unexpected release of Damian Lillard and the addition of Myles Turner, attention is now turning towards who will orchestrate the Bucks backcourt for the 2025–26 season. Advertisement The Bucks have clearly targeted veteran playmakers to support Giannis Antetokounmpo's title aspirations, drawing buzz from around the league. The Bucks could enter the Chris Paul sweepstakes. "The Milwaukee Bucks have registered interest in (Paul)," NBA TV's Chris Haynes noted on Monday. "The Charlotte Hornets, they (are trying) to make a play on Chris Paul as well, but I'm told he wants to stay closer to home. "The Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns– they are still in play." Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on during the first quarter.© Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Paul, a 12‑time All‑Star, remains one of the most experienced free-agent point guards available. The challenge is Paul appears to prefer being close to his family in Los Angeles, which would not exactly be a reality in Milwaukee. Advertisement Last season, Paul started all 82 games for the Spurs, averaging 8.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 3.6 rebounds. Despite some skepticism about Paul's current upside, ESPN Insider Bobby Marks highlighted Paul as a potential high-impact option for the Bucks. 'I don't know if Milwaukee fits what Chris is trying to do at this stage of his career, especially with it being so far from home, which I know is a priority for him." Marks said during an episode of "The Dan Patrick Show". "But he's the best available free agent point guard on the market. He played 82 games last year, and he's still got a lot left. So if I'm Milwaukee, that's my priority…going out and trying to get a player like that.' Advertisement Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo Slams Stephen A. Smith in Recent Instagram Post This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
