Ball Don't Lie - NBA

Finals MVP Paul Pierce, who recently spent three days at a ball camp in Madrid, is making, ahem, news about what he said to a Spanish reporter. The money translation, via RedsArmy: "Q: Is Kobe really the best player in the world? Pierce: I don't think Kobe is the best player. I'm the best player. There's a line that separates having confidence and being conceited. I don't cross that line but I have a lot of confidence in myself." Surprisingly, Spurs fans seem more upset by this than actual Lakers fans. (Update: OK, Lakers Nation is pretty upset, too.)

digg delicious
more

12873 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. PeanutButterSpread
    1. Posted by PeanutButterSpread Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:33 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    "Surprisingly, Spurs fans seem more upset by this than actual Lakers fans."
    Actually, that's not true. LakersNation has already posted this "conceited" gem here and feedback from LAL fans aren't exactly peachy:
    http://thelakersnation.com/blog/2008/07/24/peirce-i-dont-think-kobe-is-the-best-player-im-the-best-player/
  2. J.E. Skeets
    2. Posted by J.E. Skeets Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    PBS: I sit corrected.
  3. Jeff Clark
    3. Posted by Jeff Clark Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:29 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Kobe is welcome to try to prove him wrong, but it didn't go so well last time
  4. Mask Marval
    4. Posted by Mask Marval Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    There's only one way to find out... 1 one 1 pick up games best of 5...lol Location Venice Beach, CA that would be so tight.
  5. Soy Bomb
    5. Posted by Soy Bomb Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:52 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    If radmanovic guarded kobe, he would score 100.
  6. Harold
    6. Posted by Harold Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:51 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I know that he was just joking. He is the greatest at faking an injury. He isnt even on the olympic team. Paul is a good player but not great. It wouldn't hurt if he shave more regularly...then again he can consider himself as the NBA's player in need of a shave.
  7. Kelvin J
    7. Posted by Kelvin J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    OHHHHHH NOOOOOoooo he didn't.
  8. Ace Adamas
    8. Posted by Ace Adamas Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:57 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    lets see. pierce led wally word and west to the worst record in the EAST. lebron led them to the 2nd round. kobe led walton, kwame, and smush to the playoffs TWICE in the WEST. pierce is not a top 5 player in the league and he ain't even the best player on his team
  9. Mask Marval
    9. Posted by Mask Marval Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    earthquake baby!!
  10. Tiger (in the) Woods
    10. Posted by Tiger (in the) Woods Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Please!! your not better than Wade, Tmac, CP3, King James or Kobe your not even in the top five! The truth is, stop lying to your self homie.....
  11. DennardC
    11. Posted by DennardC Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    This is much ado about nothing. He is feeling good about winning a chip and he is still on cloud nine from his perfomance. There are far more important things to be indignant about.
  12. Rickish
    12. Posted by Rickish Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    ROFL. Paul Pierce is an idiot. Go flash your gang signs and keep your mouth shut. If you are the best player, why were you not even considered for the Olympic team?
  13. a a
    13. Posted by a a Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Finals MVPs: Kobe 0 for 5, Pierce 1 for 1
    the prosecution rests.
  14. ty!
    14. Posted by ty! Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Wait, wait, wait, wait one minute... Kobe is by FAR a better player than Paul Pierce. Kobe 3 titles (with Shaq) vs. Peirce's 1 title (with Ray Allen & Garnett). Oh oh and wait wait again. Who got season MVP and best record in the toughest west coast conference probably ever, oh yeah, KOBE! Oh yeah, wait again, who has scored 81 in ONE game, oh yeah, THAT WAS KOBE! Greatest player of all time KOBE! Wanna be greatest player, Paul Pierce. Sorry Pierce but you cannot compare to Kobe, you fake.
  15. NativeSun
    15. Posted by NativeSun Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:44 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I just think it's funny that he'd say he's the best player in the world while still claiming that he doesn't cross the line between being confident and conceited.
    Confident would be saying "I think I can hang with anyone" or something like that.
    Conceited would be what he actually did say.
  16. Marvin
    16. Posted by Marvin Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:10 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    He's not better than Kobe, he isn't even the best player in the league, but he is a NBA Champion & Finals MVP....but best player....no. I was trying ot see what he was going for, but I agree with "Native Sun".
  17. haon68
    17. Posted by haon68 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:16 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Wasn't the greatest player in the world the "leader of the team" that was the first US international team to not win gold?
    That might disqualify him from the title, methinks.
  18. meeeee
    18. Posted by meeeee Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I'm not a real big Kobe but come on now. You cant possibly rank yourself as good or better than Kobe. If he was on a western conference team, he'd be a starter no doubt about it but an average or below average player only.
    I dont mind you have confidence in yourself but please.....dont lie to yourself.
  19. G-man
    19. Posted by G-man Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:58 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Nah, Nah, Nah son. He's wrong. I am the best player in the world. I run the court son.
  20. FLYERS!!!
    20. Posted by FLYERS!!! Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yeah Kobe performs year in and year out. This guy has 1 spectacular year with several good years and he thinks he's the best in the world. He won't wake up cause he's blinded by his arrogance and money. Oh well
  21. sports.dude23
    21. Posted by sports.dude23 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    if he waz da "best player" wudnt he b an "all star" then kobes an all star im not sayin i lik kobe but i do think hes betta than pierce
  22. t_wirtz
    22. Posted by t_wirtz Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:26 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Paul Pierce isnt even the best player on the Celtics much less the league!!!
  23. Rod
    23. Posted by Rod Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:57 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    celtics vs. lakers....only for tv....lakers had no business in the finals......
  24. MJ
    24. Posted by MJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Who cares who the best player is? Don't let Kobe near your sister though.

Ball Don't Lie

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

J.E. Skeets

Ball Don't Lie is an NBA blog edited by J.E. Skeets. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]

Related Photo Gallery

Featured NBA Video

Y! Sports Blogs

Ball Don't Lie Recent Readers