National Basketball Association

Paul Pierce: 'Paul Pierce is just going to be who Paul Pierce is'

Published Apr. 29, 2015 4:52 p.m. ET

foxsports

By Jason Rowan

Paul Pierce has some thoughts about Paul Pierce and he’s not afraid to refer to himself in the third person to explain just what Paul Pierce thinks about Paul Pierce.

Got it?

Pierce was a huge thorn in the side of the Toronto Raptors before, during and after the Washington Wizards dispatched the team from the North from the playoffs with obvious ease during a four-game sweep.

The veteran NBA star recently was asked about his affinity for playing the agitator’s role — specifically related to how he trolled the Raptors hard on social media (above, via Facebook) following the series win — and explained simply that is just how Paul Pierce rolls.

“I just look at it as good banter,” Pierce said, via USA TODAY’s Jeff Zillgitt. “Good banter. That’s the word. A lot of this stuff I don’t pre-think it. It just comes out naturally.”

And then he dropped some first person-based analysis on what Paul Pierce thinks about what makes Paul Pierce tick.

“Paul Pierce is just going to be who Paul Pierce is going to be. I’m going to be myself. If it helps our team or hurts our team, I’m just trying to be myself and see where that goes,” he added. “I’m a vocal person. I speak up. I tell the guys how I feel. I’m emotional. It’s just me being me truthfully.”

And if Paul Pierce can’t be Paul Pierce, what’s Paul Pierce supposed to do? Attempt to be Paul Pierce while trying to be someone other than Paul Pierce?

There are few things that have the potential to be more annoying than when an athlete refers to himself in the third person. But the way in which Pierce pulled this one off deserves credit. It was almost endearingly annoying, if that’s possible.

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