Paul Pierce perseveres

Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce is a patient man. He was never given a shot to excel, particularly with older brothers who were professional athletes ahead of him. Growing up in the Los Angeles area, he started out as a ruffian on the court, thriving on contact. He was bent on becoming a Laker. But the two-time All-American out of Kansas had a surprise coming, when the Boston Celtics drafted him in 1999.

"I said, ‘Oh, no, not the Celtics,’" he told members of the media at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati yesterday during his second visit here under Nike sponsorship. "But the organization’s been great. I got to meet Red Auerbach, Bill Russel, Bob Cousy, some really great people. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world." After leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals in 2002, the 6’6" swingman was made to wait for success again, as Boston started a string of trades that replaced more than half the team this season.

"If we keep going on the path we’re on, getting younger players, it will take a while for us to get there again," Pierce admits. "Young players today don’t know what it takes to win. Getting into the NBA is all about building a reputation. They’re filling up the stat sheets. They’re not willing to sacrifice."

And if he were to choose his own starting teammates?

"That’s easy," he chuckles. "Shaq, Garnett, Kobe and maybe Iverson. But it’ll take a lot of money to bring those guys together." While he’s busy here fulfilling his endorsement obligations as a Nike endorser, Pierce continues to be dumbfounded by the passion Filipinos have shown for basketball.

"I’m still amazed at the warm reception, and how excited people are about basketball," the Celtics leader says. "If I had never been to the Philippines and somebody had told me it was the number one sport here, I wouldn’t have believed them."