Paul Pierce’s illustrious NBA career included, among other accomplishments, 10 All-Star appearances, 26,397 points (16th all-time), 2,143 buckets from beyond the arc (ninth-most), 6,918 free throws (also ninth) and a world championship with the Boston Celtics, the team he spent 15 of his 19 seasons with. And soon, perhaps as early as 2021, The Truth could be headed to Springfield.
Pierce headlines this year’s list of first-time nominees for the Basketball Hall of Fame, joining the likes of Doug Collins (who is already enshrined in the college hoops hall), Michael Cooper of “Showtime Lakers” fame and WNBA legend Lauren Jackson. Returning nominees include Chris Bosh, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Ben Wallace. The latter three were members of the Detroit Pistons’ 2004 championship team.
Pierce’s nomination for the Class of 2021 was announced Tuesday on ESPN’s The Jump with the former Finals MVP learning the news from host Rachel Nichols on live television.
“The Hall of Fame is forever. Having my number hung up in the Boston Garden is forever. It’s a true honor if it were to happen,” said Pierce, who defeated the Lakers—the team he grew up cheering for in his native Inglewood—for his only NBA title in 2008. “This is the final chapter.”
HOF Finalists will be selected at All-Star Weekend in March with the Hall of Fame announcing its full induction class a month later during the NCAA Final Four. The induction ceremony in Springfield, Massachusetts is slated for September.
Pierce’s former Celtics teammate Kevin Garnett was inducted to the Hall of Fame alongside Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant earlier this year, though his official enshrinement was postponed due to the COVID pandemic. Garnett’s induction will now take place the weekend of May 13th at the Mohegan Sun resort in Connecticut. KG’s iconic No. 5 will join Pierce’s No. 34 in the rafters at TD Garden with the Celtics announcing plans to retire his number sometime during the upcoming 2020-21 season.
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