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‘Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler and Luka Doncic all remind me of myself’: Celtics legend Paul Pierce names current stars who have his own old-man game skillset

Advait Jajodia
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'Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler and Luka Doncic all remind me of myself': Celtics legend Paul Pierce names current stars who have his own old-man game skillset

On the latest episode of The Jump, Paul Pierce named the three players whose playing styles resemble his own the most.

Paul Pierce was one of the most dominant scorers in his era. For nearly two decades, Pierce could shoot the ball at will and help his team win matches. Now, Pierce is an analyst for ESPN and has never been particularly shy to give his takes despite the criticism he would receive.

As Paul Pierce named the players, his co-host Jalen Rose let out a cheeky laugh. That didn’t stop Pierce from explaining why he saw himself in these players. The most obvious similarity between the two forwards is that they both played for the Boston Celtics. He went on to explain:

“Look at his silky-smooth game — he reminds me of a younger version of me. He gets the shot off any time he wants to.”

Also Read: “When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticized me, I took it”: Shaquille O’Neal rips apart today’s players and their sensitivity, calling them ‘pudding pops’

Paul Pierce loves Jimmy Butler’s toughness

Another player who Pierce mentioned was Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler and how they shared the same ‘killer toughness’ when on the court. Pierce went on to explain:

“Killer toughness. That’s something I believe I brought to the game, night in and night out. You knew it was gonna be a long night … You weren’t gonna out-work me.”

The last and probably the most absurd comparison was with the Slovenian generational talent Luka Doncic. Pierce emphasized the fact that the similarities were only on scoring the ball. Despite admitting that this comparison would draw criticism, he went on to justify himself:

“If you watch his offensive game, there is not a spot on the floor he cannot get to. I know he’s not the most athletic, he’s not the fastest, but check this out: he gets his shot off every single time, any time he wants. And that was the best part of my game.”

Also Read: ‘Once Klay Thompson returns, the Warriors are going to make the league pay’: Stephen A Smith sends warning to rest of the NBA about Stephen Curry and his sleeper team

Being a 10-time All-Star, 4-time All-NBA selections, an NBA Finals MVP and an NBA champion, Pierce obviously has a lot to brag about. But are these comparisons a bit unreal? Clearly, Pierce doesn’t think so.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,450+ articles.

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