Paul Pierce (born October 13 1977 in Oakland, California) is an NBA basketball player. He has been a starter every season since he was selected by the Boston Celtics in the first round (10th pick overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft. He plays both guard and forward.

Prior to being drafted, Pierce averaged 16.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his three seasons at the University of Kansas, and earned MVP honors in the Big 12 Conference Tournament in both 1997 and 1998. He entered himself in the NBA Draft after his junior year.

On September 25, 2000, he was stabbed while in the pool room of a nightclub, in the face, neck and back.

Often cited as one of the league's most underrated players, Pierce led the Celtics to the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals. In the historic game three, he led the Celtics to a win over the New Jersey Nets after being down by 25 points at the end of the third quarter.

External links

• University of Kansas Men's Basketball
• NBA Player Profile
• USA National Team