Celtics Legend Paul Pierce Says He Was Better Than Dwyane Wade: 'That's Easy'

Those in and around the NBA have spent the entire 2018-19 season celebrating Miami Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade as he heads toward retirement, but Paul Pierce still thinks he had a better career than Wade.

Pierce, who last played in 2016-17 for the Los Angeles Clippers and now serves as an analyst for ESPN, didn't need time to think when asked who will go down in history as the better NBA player. 

"That's easy!" the 41-year-old said on NBA Countdown. "I could say that off the bat. That's me."

Pierce reasoned that if he had the same teammates in his prime as Wade did with Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James, he would "be sitting on five or six championships, easy."

Wade has won three NBA championships—one with O'Neal and two with James—while Pierce hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy once in 2008 during the Boston Celtics "Big Three" era with him, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. 

Wade has averaged 22 points per game since 2003. Pierce averaged 19.7 points over his 19-year career. Wade is a 13-time All-Star while Pierce was named as an All-Star 10 times (if you're into that sort of thing).

At 38-41, it appears as though the Heat will miss the playoffs. If that's the case, Wade's final NBA game will be at the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.