‘The Truth’ entered the NBA Draft back in 1998 and went as the 10th overall pick…
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Washington Wizards star Paul Pierce believes that he would arguably not be drafted into the NBA today due to a lack of potential rather than talent.
The 37-year-old has enjoyed a stellar career in the league after being drafted with the 10th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1998 Draft, and he hopes to extend that career with success with the Wizards this season.
However, after three years at Kansas before entering the Draft, Pierce believes that prospects are now picked on potential rather than talent that they have shown in their college years.
“I probably wouldn’t have got drafted.” Pierce said on “The Dan Patrick Show.”
“A lot of stuff is based on potential, or I probably would’ve went later in the first round or something.”
“I think a lot of these young talented kids are just rated on their pure length and athleticism, but really no basketball IQ, really no footwork, really can’t shoot the ball.
“When they look at [a] guy and they say he has potential, he’s fast, he has long arms, he can jump. And then he gets out there and can’t throw a rock in the ocean, or he can’t run a play. Or his basketball IQ is low. I think those things sometimes get overrated. A lot of kids get drafted just on that.”
Pierce went on to admit that he hasn’t been impressed with this year’s Draft class so far given the level of expectation around the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.
Despite the season being only 10 games old, he believes that the 2003 class which included the likes of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade showed immediate signs of developing into franchise players, and so his argument regarding potential rather than talent has been reinforced this year.
The Wizards are 7-2 for the season so far and face the Dallas Mavericks (8-3) on Wednesday night.
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