Retired 10-time All-Star Paul Pierce claims he played a significant role in shaping Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James into a superstar.
Pierce believes the intense playoff matchups with James, especially during the Boston Celtics’ clashes against the Miami Heat in the early 2010s, were crucial in James’s development.
“I truly believe I helped LeBron elevate his game,” Pierce stated during Friday’s episode of Undisputed on FSI. “During Game 6 in Boston, when we had them on the verge of going back to the Finals, that was the game that pushed LeBron to the next level.”
When asked by Skip Bayless if he felt he could challenge James defensively, Pierce mentioned that during his later years, he alternated guarding James on and off.
In previous playoff encounters when James played for Cleveland, Pierce was his primary defender.
“There wasn’t as much direct confrontation with me,” Pierce reflected on his matchups against James in Miami. “I was older then. I shared the defensive duties with players like Brandon Bass.”
Regardless of the validity of Pierce’s assertion, the playoff battles between him and James were pivotal moments in the early stages of James’s postseason career. These matchups have left a lasting mark in Eastern Conference playoff history and contributed significantly to James’s journey as a basketball icon.
