Back in the day, Paul Pierce was one of the best forwards in the NBA. He garnered 10 All-Star Game appearances, four All-NBA Team selections, an NBA championship, and a Finals MVP.

But while Pierce has been long retired from the game, he continues to contribute as an analyst. However, as an analyst, Pierce has had his fair share of controversies. Here's a look at Paul Pierce's 10 wildest NBA takes.

10. Zion Williamson isn't a generational talent

While Zion Williamson hasn't taken over the league, the two-time All-Star has convinced the Pelicans organization that he is the face of the franchise. However, The Truth isn't really buying that the former top-overall pick isn't a generational talent. It's pretty wild given how Williamson has shown flashes of greatness, when healthy.

9. Can score 20 points against Pistons and Spurs

The Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs were bottom feeders during the 2023-2024 season. In line with their struggles, a retired Paul Pierce boldly claimed that he could easily drop 20 points against these two cellar-dwellers with ease despite being long retired.

8. Duke team can beat '18 Cavaliers

The gap between college teams and NBA teams is quite large. However, Pierce believed that the Duke college basketball team could fend off a LeBron James-led Cavaliers. It was certainly a claim that didn't age well, as the Cavs went on to make the 2018 NBA Finals.

7. Paul Pierce sees himself in Luka Doncic

While Pierce had many  memorable moments in his career, highlighted by an NBA championship in 2008, claiming similarities between him and Luka Doncic was a bit of a stretch. Doncic is a dominant all-around player. Although Pierce had been dominant on offense back in the day, being an all-around player wasn't one of his strengths.

6. Claiming to be more clutch than LeBron James

Despite criticisms, LeBron James is one of the most clutch superstars in the NBA. But while James has the most game-winning shots in playoff history, Pierce confidently claimed to be a better clutch player than The King. Although Pierce has knocked down some clutch shots in his career, the statistics speak for themselves.

5. Paul Pierce proclaiming to be better wing shooter than Klay Thompson

Pierce pushed himself into a debate after claiming to be a better wing shooter than four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson. Although Pierce may be a better basketball player overall, shooting is just the specialty of the other half of the Splash Brothers. Thompson's sweet shooting stroke and career shooting percentages are hard to beat.

4. Paul Pierce claiming to be better than Dwyane Wade

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There's no question that Dwyane Wade and Pierce have both carved out successful NBA careers. However, Pierce did set the NBA world buzzing when he claimed that he had a better career than The Flash.

Wade won three NBA championships to Pierce's one. Although The Truth brought up Wade's teammates, Pierce also formed a super team of his own in Boston before winning his first and only NBA title.

3. Paul Pierce getting fired for his Instagram Live

Everyone has the right to celebrate birthday celebrations. However, it seems like a retired Pierce took things way too far. To celebrate his birthday, the NBA champion went on Instagram Live and showed himself smoking pot and interacting with exotic dancers, and drinking with friends.

Shortly after, ESPN took action and fired the former Celtics great. After his firing, Pierce would go on social media to make wild cryptic posts implying that his dismissal had no effect to his personal life.

2. LeBron James isn't a top-five player

Given LeBron James' stacked list of accolades and memorable performances, it's safe to say that The King belongs in the GOAT conversation. In fact, he should at least be in nearly everyone's NBA Mount Rushmore. But while James has carved out a decorated career and is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, Pierce disagrees.

In fact, The Truth doesn't consider his former rival as a top-five player. It's safe to say that Pierce hasn't forgotten how many times James pretty much dominated him in their matchups, highlighted by several playoff eliminations against The Truth.

1. Paul Pierce drops a racial slur on live TV

While Pierce's take on the Knicks' Donte DiVincenzo wasn't anything wild at first, it was his choice of words that got him in hot water. On live television, Pierce appeared to use a racial slur to describe the Knicks star. The viewers of Undisputed certainly didn't let Pierce's actions slip.