Former LeBron Rival Blames Age For the Reason He Couldn't Keep Up With Him

LeBron James has had a ton of rivals throughout his NBA career. That’s what happens when you are one of the best players of all time and have played for over 20 seasons. Stephen Curry is probably the most well-known LeBron rival, as they had so many epic regular-season and NBA Finals battles in the 2010s.

However, before Curry, LeBron’s biggest adversary was probably Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics. Pierce and the Celtics had some epic playoff battles with LeBron in his early career, and Pierce and LeBron would often go head-to-head. 

Pierce recently spoke about his rivalry with LeBron with Shannon Sharpe on the Club Shay Shay show. 

"If we were the same age, I don't believe LeBron would have had 4 championships. LeBron wouldn't have got those 2 in Miami. If we're the same age, I can offset him. I was at an older age then, a lot of miles, it was hard for me to keep up with him."

While it’s impossible to know, Pierce may have a point here. When he was clashing with LeBron, he was at the tail end of his prime, while LeBron was just entering his. 

That being said, what Pierce may not have had as far as athleticism, he made up for in experience and veteran know-how. 

So, could Pierce have prevented LeBron from winning in Miami if he were at his peak in terms of athleticism? Maybe, but he would be giving up some of the mental edge and IQ that his age had given him.