Paul Pierce is the truth for a reason. In a recent sit down with ESPN’s Jackie McMullan, Pierce talked about his new role with the Wizards, the quiet nature of Joe Johnson and Deron Williams unwillingness to be great.
Pierce said the player that puzzled him the most was the talent Williams — who he considered MVP worthy before arriving in Brooklyn.
“Before I got there, I looked at Deron as an MVP candidate,” Pierce said. “But I felt once we got there, that’s not what he wanted to be. He just didn’t want that.
“I think a lot of the pressure got to him sometimes. This was his first time in the national spotlight. The media in Utah is not the same as the media in New York, so that can wear on some people. I think it really affected him.”
Williams entered last season in Brooklyn surrounded by MVP talk, but quickly faded via ankle problems.