Proud of Kansas University’s basketball program, Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce puffed his chest and bragged on the Jayhawks before last Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz.
The fifth-year pro bragged so much, he may have provided Holy Cross some bulletin-board material for the Jayhawks’ NIT season-opener at 8 p.m. Tuesday against the Crusaders at Allen Fieldhouse.
“They’re going to wish they were at chapel,” Pierce said of the Crusaders. “They’re going to be there and be like, ‘So this is what college is like.”‘
Holy Cross is located in Worcester, Mass., just 40 miles west of Boston, so you can bet the Crusaders were aware of the quotes in the Boston Globe bright and early Tuesday morning.
“Yes I did (see Pierce’s comments),” Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard said. “I’m sorry to hear he didn’t go to class. That kind of disappointed me.
“I’m only kidding,” he added, laughing.
Pierce, who grew up in balmy Inglewood, Calif., told the Globe there was a time KU coach Roy Williams had to make sure his prize player bundled up and headed to class on cold, winter mornings.
“I think Paul’s a loyal guy. Loyalty is a great thing. Obviously he is loyal to Kansas and to Roy,” Willard said, adding knows Pierce through his friendship with Celts coach Jim O’Brien.
“Paul is a great guy. I think anybody who looks at Kansas and looks at us are going to predict Kansas will win big. I don’t take offense to any of that.”
KU’s Williams also has no problem with Pierce’s boasts.
“Somebody told me about them, which is fine,” Williams said. “I’m glad he has the pride and cares enough about us to mention it like that. It’ll give them something to talk about, but I don’t think they need any extra motivation and I don’t think we do either. I’m glad Paul is that proud of us. Now we better do what he says.”
The Jayhawks, who survived a major scare in nudging Holy Cross, 70-59, in a first-round NCAA Tournament game last March in St. Louis, aren’t upset at Pierce for speaking his mind.
“I think that’s cool,” sophomore guard Keith Langford said. “I’ve never met Paul. Obviously I’m a fan watching him on TV. I was reading the newspaper and he guaranteed victory … It’s what we need. We need somebody to speak up and tell the truth.”
Pierce’s NBA nickname is “The Truth.”
Langford also has some bragging rights on the line Tuesday. Nate Lufkin, a 6-11 sophomore center from Austin, Texas, is a former AAU teammate of the Fort Worth, Texas, native.
“He called my AAU coach and told him he was going to dunk on us,” Langford said. “I’ll talk to him when he comes in Tuesday. I’ll be sure to give him a few words. He needs to worry about Nick (Collison) dunking on him.
“He’s good,” Langford said, seriously. “In AAU ball he’s a lot taller than everybody. He’s a skilled big man. With personal tension between former players and Paul Pierce guaranteeing victory, we have to come out and play and win is the bottom line.”