Paul Pierce during a ceremony to retire his jersey Sunday. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- The Celtics were absolutely obliterated by the Cavaliers yesterday at the Garden but, after the game, that didn't matter--the evening was all about Paul Pierce.
Pierce had his Number 34 raised to the Garden rafters last night. After, he was asked how his emotions compared to the night he was drafted by the Celtics in 1998.
"I think I was a little more pissed off draft night," he said. "It was like, happy I made the NBA, but it was just like...I went tenth."
It's true. Sometimes things don't work out exactly as we plan. We can all relate.
But, as many of us have, Pierce came to believe everything happens for a reason. That draft night slight drove him to be the Hall of Famer he'll eventually become.
"That was the start of it," he said. "People just knew my competitive spirit. I was ticked off from going ten, and I wanted to just prove to everybody that I'm a better player. But things happened for a reason. I ended up a Boston Celtic. It's almost like hitting the lottery."
Pierce fell into his lap, but at least we can say Rick Pitino did one thing right during his time in Boston.
Hear from Pierce below.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports