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“Never wear LeBron James shoes around Paul Pierce!”: Wizards stars reveal ‘The Truth’ would get irritated with seeing Lakers star’s kicks in his locker room

Samir Mehdi
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“Never wear LeBron James shoes around Paul Pierce!”: Wizards stars reveal ‘The Truth’ would get irritated with seeing Lakers star’s kicks in his locker room

Paul Pierce had ‘banned’ anyone from wearing LeBron James shoes while he was on their team, especially the Wizards. 

LeBron James has never truly had a singular rival that has tested his will to win over an extended period of time. If you were to choose, Kevin Durant would perhaps be the right answer to being James’s rival given that they faced off against one another in 3 NBA Finals spanning 6 years, with ‘The Slim Reaper’ actually besting him 2-1. 

However, the very series before KD and James’s first encounter in the Playoffs would put an end to ‘The King’s’ first legitimate rivalry in the NBA, which was against the Boston Celtics. That 2012 Eastern Conference Finals was a legacy-defining series for LeBron as he had his iconic Game 6 performance where he dropped 45 points.

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Paul Pierce and LeBron James playing the same position and being their respective team’s go-to scorer naturally pitted them against one another. 

Their rivalry began in the 2008 ECSF where Boston booted them from the Playoffs. History would repeat itself in 2010 before James would stomp on their hopes of winning another championship in the following two seasons. 

Paul Pierce did not allow any of his teammates to wear LeBrons. 

Some of the most popular shoes worn by players in the league over the past 2 decades have been LeBrons. Their durability and lockdown are what’s most attractive about them and are an incredibly reputable line of shoes to rock on NBA hardwood.

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Paul Pierce, who has made numerous battles against LeBron James, did not like them. In fact, his time with the Washington Wizards left them with two things: the iconic ‘I called game’ shot in Game 3 against the Hawks in 2015 and his strict rules for his teammates on wearing James’s shoes. 

“Well, what I learned from him, you’re not allowed to wear LeBron’s shoes to practice,” said then Wizards center, Marcin Gortat. 

‘The Truth’ has actually made a name for himself in this department as he claimed that he would ‘never wear a rival’s shoe’, leading him to ban himself from rocking LeBrons, Kobes, and even KDs. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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