Paul Pierce has lived an interesting life. When you’re an NBA player, this should be standard. However, some experiences tend to be a lot more traumatic than others. Back in 2000, Pierce was viciously stabbed at a nightclub in Boston after speaking to a woman. Details on what happened are pretty scarce but now, Pierce is opening up about how he felt in the aftermath of the attack. 

The NBA champion was on the “All The Smoke” Podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson where he spoke about the traumatic experience and how he had to move around differently for years. In fact, Pierce had to carry a gun on him for protection.

“People don’t know this, but I actually carried a gun for two years right after that,” Pierce said. “I was so paranoid. Like, I kept it in the car, I had it on me, I was so paranoid after that. I was just like, I couldn’t be in crowds. Something like that happens to you, man, it’s traumatic. I was like to the point of like, losing it.”

Luckily for Pierce, he had basketball to fall back on and was able to live his life normally. He is looked at as a hero in Boston and while his recent hot takes have resulted in various memes, there is no denying Pierce belongs in the Hall of Fame. 

If there is one thing to take away from this, it’s that basketball is a huge unifier.