Before he ever suited up in green, Paul Pierce had no love for the Boston Celtics. In fact, he hated them. Born and raised in Inglewood, California, just blocks from The Forum, Pierce grew up idolizing Magic Johnson and despising Larry Bird. Yet, in a twist of fate, he became a Celtics icon. From 1998 to 2013, Pierce played 15 seasons with Boston. He was a 10-time All-Star, Finals MVP in 2008, and led the Celtics to a title over the Lakers, the team he once dreamt of joining.

What’s fascinating is how completely he embraced Boston after years of rivalry-fueled hate. “I hated the Celtics so much,” Pierce once told ESPN. “I hated Larry Bird, I hated everything about the Celtics.” But loyalty came with time. He now ranks second in franchise points and first in made threes and free throws. His journey from hating green to bleeding it showed how basketball and fate can change everything. “It’s real ironic that I get drafted by the Celtics and play against the Lakers and win a championship against them,” he said.

So, how did that change begin? Recently, sitting down with Keyshawn Johnson in his hometown, Pierce opened up. When asked about his favorite Laker growing up, he didn’t hesitate: “Oh, easily. It was Magic Johnson and Byron Scott…” He shared how both players made it from Inglewood and inspired him. Byron Scott, especially, because “he grew up around here. He made it.” Keyshawn questioned why Pierce didn’t play for Morningside High. Pierce explained he had already moved, even though Morningside and Inglewood were basically equals, just different in sports focus.

Keyshawn then hit a deeper note, asking if Pierce ever thought he’d wear the Lakers jersey. “Yeah, that was the dream. Of course,” Pierce admitted. Growing up just blocks from the Forum, he thought of them as the “Inglewood Lakers.” But life had other plans. Drafted by Boston, Pierce found himself surrounded by skeptics and disappointed childhood friends. That’s when the personal cost of loyalty became real. “I found out who my friends was when I got to Boston,” he shared. When old friends showed up in Lakers gear despite his tickets, he stopped inviting them.

One story stood out above all. His mom once got tickets for his uncle. But when he arrived wearing a Lakers jersey, she drew a line. “She said, ‘You ain’t never coming to another game again.’ I’ll never forget that. Never see him at another game.” The bond with Boston had grown so strong, it even split the family. For Pierce, choosing the Celtics wasn’t just about basketball. It became about loyalty, roots, and knowing who truly supported him, green jersey or not.

How Magic’s warning and pickup lessons helped shape Paul Pierce’s NBA mentality

Before the Celtics’ glory and Finals MVP chants, Paul Pierce was just a hungry kid from Inglewood chasing a dream. That dream got a dose of reality during the summer of 1998, when he joined pickup games at UCLA and found himself matched up with Magic Johnson. It was more than just basketball. Pierce’s childhood idol wasn’t just there to hoop. He was there to guide. And when Magic saw the rising star, he pulled him aside with words that still hold weight.

Johnson’s advice came from experience and concern. He had seen others lose everything by staying tied to the wrong crowd. In When the Game Was Ours, Magic told Pierce, “You can’t be hanging on that corner anymore… There’s too much at stake to find yourself in a position that just doesn’t make sense.” He urged him to help his people if he wanted, but not to let them anchor his future.

Pierce, to his credit, listened. He stayed out of trouble and avoided major controversy through most of his career. He won big in Boston, including the 2008 NBA championship, and made a name for himself as a reliable leader. That long, clean run? You could argue it started right there, at UCLA, where Magic’s mentorship met raw talent. The pickup sessions were intense, but the life lessons lasted longer than any jump shot.

On All The Smoke, Pierce recalled a favorite moment. He was guarding Magic during a tight game. It was tied 6-6. “Magic tried to hit the little hook… he missed, we scored. Then he called a foul.” Even in that laugh-filled memory, the mentorship stuck. Pierce got more than a game that day… he got a roadmap for how to move in the league and in life.