Paul Pierce Talks Brooklyn with DuJour Magazine

Picturing Paul Pierce in a Nets uniform will forever seem weird, but to help us in our struggle to visualize him in Brooklyn plying his trade. The Truth did an interview with Lindsay Silberman of New York City-based DuJour Magazine to discuss the Knicks rivalry, his new team, living in the NYC and a few other things. Yes, I know. It still seems weird, but we’ll all get over it eventually. Maybe. Anyway, check out a few excerpts from the interview below.

DJ: You just moved to the city three weeks ago—what’s the verdict?
PP: I feel good about living in New York. I’ve been playing in Boston my whole career, so this was an opportunity to see what the bright lights, big city was all about. It seems like the world starts right here in New York. Why would you ever want to leave? It’s amazing.

DJ: There’s already been a lot of trash-talking between you and the Knicks. Is it genuine or are you just trying to create buzz around the rivalry?
PP: I’ve never really liked the Knicks anyway. We had a rivalry being in Boston…so I moved over to Brooklyn and we’re still in the same division playing for the same division championship, ultimately to see who’s going be the king of the East. I think the rivalry wouldn’t be as good if you didn’t have both teams at the level that they’re at.

DJ: What’s it like living in the same city as your rival?
PP: I think it’s great for the city—it’s great for sports. A lot of the fans that may have been living in Brooklyn, cheering for the Knicks, now they’re gonna convert over to the Brooklyn team. People love the New York Knicks and now, we’re giving people a reason to love Brooklyn.

DJ: Did you ever see yourself playing at the level you’re at now?
PP: I’ve always had the vision. It was all about the time and the workouts I put in. I was willing to sacrifice some of the things in life that other guys did when I was 21 or 22. When people were going out and partying all the time, I might have been in the gym, working on my craft, trying to get better. So in a way I did see myself being at the level I’m at today because of the hard work I put in.