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(WBZ NewsRadio / ESPN) - Paul Pierce does not want the Boston Celtics to pay tribute to Isaiah Thomas on the same night his jersey is retired.
Pierce said Thursday that he would prefer the Celtics not run a video tribute during Thomas’ on-court return to TD Garden on February 11, the same night that Pierce’s number 34 jersey is retired.
"I'm not saying Isaiah shouldn't get a tribute video... but on February 11th, the night I get my jersey retired, I'm not sure I want to look up at the JumboTron and see Isaiah highlights,” Pierce said Thursday on ESPN's The Jump.
Pierce jokingly offered an alternative, saying “You could Instagram it.”
The Celtics had originally planned to play Thomas’ tribute video when the Cleveland Cavaliers came to the TD Garden to play the Celtics last Wednesday, but Thomas asked that they table it until the next meeting of the teams in February. He’s planning to be on the court that night, rather than the sidelines, and will also have his family in attendance.
"That's Pierce's night. But, like, the video tribute ain't the whole night," Thomas said. "I just wanted my family to be here to see it. That's what it came down to. I wanted to be able to play. And I wanted my family to experience the love and appreciation this city and this organization is going to give me on that night. And when my representatives reached out to these guys, [the Celtics] were all for it. They agreed on it.”
"I don't know why [some people are] so mad about it. I'm not taking nothing from Paul Pierce. He did 15 years here so there's nothing that I can take from him. But if they choose to do it that night, that would be great and I would be honored. And my family and friends can see how much they appreciated me here."
SOURCE: ESPN