During the 1998 NBA Draft, nine players were selected ahead of current Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce. Former Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown recalls that night and why they didn’t select Pierce.
“We took Larry Hughes (with the eighth pick) because we thought we had a need,” he said. “But the reason we took Larry is I promised him when we interviewed him — we knew we were getting the eighth pick — I promised him if he was there at (No.) 8 we would take him.”
Needless to say, Pierce has had a Hall of Fame career and Larry Hughes is out of the NBA after a good sixteen year career.
Pierce has always played with a chip on his shoulder and being one of the ultimate competitors in the NBA. Story goes, Pierce used to shout out the nine players that were drafted ahead of him regularly in shooting drills.
The possibility of Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce in Philadelphia could of caused trouble for the NBA, and maybe given ‘The Answer’ a chance at a formable duo. Players such as Jerry Stackhouse, Tim Thomas, and Hughes were never that for him.
This story from Coach Brown, is intriguing on him honoring a draft selection on a promise because it indeed occurs in the NBA.
However, passing on Paul Pierce for Larry Hughes is a head scratcher, promise or no promise.