‘He’s a true legend, a true pro’: Bradley Beal on playing with Paul Pierce
Beal highlights former Celtics guards Paul Pierce and Ray Allen on Adrian Wojnarowski's podcast, "The Woj Pod".
The Celtics-Wizards rivalry is longstanding, and for Wizards guard Bradley Beal, it was sometimes personal.
From wearing all-black to symbolize each other’s funerals to arguments, fights and ejections, the matchup between the two teams has always been testy. Beal, who scored 44 points against the Celtics on Wednesday in a 140-133 loss, said he enjoys the competitive spirit between the two teams, from currently playing alongside former Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas to going against his close friend, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.
“It’s definitely crazy given the history that we’ve had and how it’s changed over the years,” Beal told reporters this week. “It went from almost like a bloodbath rivalry to competitive games today and even more competitive since my little brother, Jayson Tatum, is on the Celtics. It’s been great, gives you that energy boost. “
“It’s unbelievable,” Beal said about the TD Garden. “The atmosphere, you can barely hear yourself think. They love their team and they’re probably some of the best fans in the game. You respect everything that they bring, their intensity every night. Being in that building alone, it makes you feel a part of history. It really humbles you in a lot of ways and makes you realize where you are and your capability of being on the same floor that a lot of legends played on.”
One former Celtics forward who Beal played with on the Wizards was Paul Pierce, who spent 15 years playing in Boston. The two played together on the Wizards in 2014.
Beal raved about Pierce on Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast, The Woj Pod, which aired on Friday.
“At first, I thought Paul was a pure asshole. I thought he hated everybody. I thought he didn’t like people. But it was the complete opposite.” Full Woj Pod with Bradley Beal: https://t.co/WQICdvaCik pic.twitter.com/sWv8ggOK7D
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2019
“Paul is a true pro,” said Beal. “The biggest thing I learned is that you got to work on your craft everyday. We all know that as hoopers and even as experts, but to see a vet in his — I don’t even remember what year it was — sixteenth, seventeenth year, still be the first guy in, last guy to leave, icing his body, taking care of his body. Doing everything that he was supposed to do at that age and still playing at a high level for us, that really hit home with me.
Beal says he learned a lot from Pierce’s style of leadership, which came off as harsh at first. Still, the “Truth” taught him how to step up and work alongside John Wall.
“Just being around him for a year was amazing. True leadership skills. At first I thought Paul was a pure a**hole. I thought he hated everybody, I thought he wasn’t a people person at all. But it just was the complete opposite. He rides for his team, like if you’re his teammate, you’re his boy. That’s just how he is. If you’re on the opposite team, he’s not talking to you [and] he’s not messing with you. I’ve learned that and developed that same mentality in a way. He instilled a lot of that in John [Wall] and I in our leadership and how we control things, how we talk to teammates, how we try to gather the troops and get things going. And, how to talk to each other, John and I. How we approach each other and how we deal with each other. He helped us a lot with that as well.”
“He’s a true legend, a true pro. He’s a pro’s pro.”
Beal also spoke highly of another former Celtics guard, Ray Allen, who offered him valuable advice recently over the summer as he was deciding whether to sign an extension with the Wizards:
“It’s crazy I actually talked to Ray Allen during the summer,” he said. “In his tenure when he was in Milwaukee and Seattle, his years were rugged. They weren’t always great but he was one of the best players and he was always making sure they were in the playoffs or making some type of noise.”
“He’s one of my favorite players and somebody I idolize on and off the court. When I talked to him, I felt like I was in the same predicament he was in: signing an extension where you were versus leaving … Having that conversation with him and breaking down who I am as a player [and] who I am as a man and how I got to where I am, being loyal, being committed to myself, being committed to the work and believing in the hand that you’re dealt all the time.”
Beal ended up signing a two-year, $72 million extension with the team in October. He said Allen helped him find perspective about his choice to stay in Washington.
“He was like, ‘Ultimately it’s your decision and the only person that can make Brad happy is Brad. You have to do what you feel is best for your family, for you. You can’t think: is the grass greener on the other side, are we going to be as good here [or] is it going to be a struggle here? You can’t always think in those terms because you can always play devils advocate on both sides.'”
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