Paul Pierce Takes Credit For LeBron James' Superstar Status

LeBron James is — arguably — the greatest NBA player of all time (or at least he's in most people's top-3). He's a four-time NBA champ, four-time league MVP, a 20-time All-Star, and he's worth more than a billion dollars. 

But he couldn't have done it without Paul Pierce.

At least, that's what Paul Pierce thinks.

On Friday's episode of FS1's Undisputed, the retired Boston Celtics legend said that his numerous playoff battles with James throughout the early 2010s helped elevate LeBron to superstar status.

"I truly feel responsible for taking LeBron to that next level," Pierce said. "When he went to Miami, Game 6 in Boston when we had them on the ropes to go back to the Finals, that was the game that took LeBron to the next level."

But when Pierce was asked if he was the only one guarding James during that time, he deflected.

"It wasn’t a lot against me," he told Skip Bayless. "I was a little older, so we switched off a little. I guarded him a half. Brandon Bass was guarding him. But, I think that, right there, Game 6, I believe it was his first year in Miami, we (were) up 3-2 at home to go to the Finals, and that’s when it took him to the next level."

This bold claim comes just three months after Pierce suggested that LeBron may have voted for him as the best player in NBA history.

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"What if LBJ voted for me? I did play against him, He must think something. What do you think about that? We had a lot of battles. We had some tough battles. It could’ve been (LeBron James)!" Pierce said on Undisputed in April.

Pierce and James did have a fierce rivalry during their shared time in the NBA. Facing each other a total of 69 times in the pros, LeBron finished with just a slight edge over Pierce with a 35-34 record (17-13 in the playoffs).

Whether the Hall of Famer can take credit for LeBron's entire career, though? That might be a stretch.