Beyond The Glory: Paul Pierce - Preview

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Beyond The Glory: Paul Pierce

FOXSports.com

Fox Sports Netbs award-winning documentary series Beyond The Glory uncovers
b
The Truthb about Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce on Sunday, June 15 at 8
p.m.
(local time).
Paul Piercebs journey from the rough streets of Inglewood, Calif., to the
legendary parquet floors of Bostonbs Fleet Center has been an arduous one
that
nearly cost him his life. Weeks before the rising star began his third season
with the Celtics, Pierce was the victim of a violent stabbing. While Paul
Pierce
fought for his life in a Boston hospital, the city was desperate for bThe
Truthb about what had happened to their local hero.
As a child, Pierce was a pudgy sharp shooter who turned to basketball to
avoid Inglewoodbs streets and gangs. Though Pierce dreamed of becoming the
next
Magic Johnson, he still had much to prove as a player. He eventually grew into
his bulky frame and embraced his role as team leader, guiding Inglewood High
School to a division championship.
University of Kansas Coach Roy Williams saw Piercebs potential and
challenged
him to be the missing piece to the Jayhawks puzzle. Williams lured
Californiab
s top college prospect to the Great Plains of the University of Kansas.
By his sophomore year, Pierce was Kansasb leading scorer on a team of
NBA-bound seniors. Though the heavily-favored Jayhawks were stopped short of
winning
the 1997 National Championship, everyone knew that Paul Pierce was the real
thing. When he entered the NBA draft the following year, he was considered a
top
five pick. To everyonebs surprise, Pierce was drafted 10th by the Celtics,
the team that the lifelong Lakers fan had always despised

Pierce arrived in Boston determined to turn around the young and struggling
Celtics, but was nagged by a severe ankle injury throughout his rookie season.
By his second season, Pierce was playing up to his potential. He and teammate
Antoine Walker began laying the foundation for a return to greatness by one of
historybs most storied franchises.
But in September 2000 his hard work was on the verge of crumbling.While at a
Boston nightclub, a group of unknown men stabbed Pierce to within an inch of
his life. Remarkably, three days after his brush with death, Pierce walked out
of the New England hospital on his own and back onto the basketball court.
Though playing at half strength, he was the only Celtic to start all 82 games
that year. By 2002 the Celtics made the playoffs for the first time in seven
years and Pierce guided the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. It would
take
two years after the stabbing for the accused men to go before a jury.
Conflicting stories and retracted testimony made the case even more of a
mystery. And
though William Ragland was found guilty of attempted murder and Trevor Watson
was convicted of assault and battery, the truth about what happened that
September night still remains a mystery.

Those interviewed in addition to Pierce include: NBA star Tony Battie and
brother Derrick Battie, brother Jamal Hosey, former Celtics coach Rick Pitino,
current Celtics head coach Jim ObBrien, former Kansas coach Roy Williams,
detective and friend Scott Collins and surgeon Dr. Graham.

Here are some quotes from the one-hour show:

Paul Pierce: bThe world is right there for me. Ibm young and doing what I
want to do.b

Paul Pierce after being stabbed eight times: bI was just saying to myself,
b
I hope I donbt die. I just want to make it through this.b I kept asking,
b Am
I going to live? Am I going to live?b"

Paul Pierce on the Celtics: "I hated (the Celtics) growing up."

Paul Pierce on his first season with Boston: bIn college, I probably lost a
total of about 11 games and then I came to the Celtics and in my first three
weeks we went on a nine-game losing streak.b

Derrick Battie on Piercebs stabbing: "I remember the last thing he said on
the hospital elevator as we were going up to surgery, bThey, didnbt get my
arm,
did they?bb

Rick Pitino: "We got the greatest steal probably in the history of the draft,
but we didn't know that."

Rick Pitino on leaving the Celtics: "He just gave me a big a hug and he said,
bIbm sorry I let you down.b I said, bYoubre the one guy that never
let me
down, Paul.bb

Roy Williams on luring Pierce to Kansas: "We tried to sell him on the idea he
could be the missing piece to the puzzle. But that he had to earn it."No
question, late in his freshman year, you could see that Paul was really going
to
be something special. The bigger the game, the better he played. Hebs the
best
scorer that Ibve ever had.b

Jim ObBrien after Piercebs accident: bI remember the doctors saying that
they didnbt want Paul putting his hands above his head. The day they said
that,
Paul was down in front of the basket shooting.b

Dr. Graham on Piercebs recovery: bItbs certainly fair to say that God
was
looking over his shoulder somehow."

Future original episodes of Beyond The Glory include: Jeff Garcia (June 22),
Corey Dillon (June 29), Greg Louganis (July 6), Curtis Martin (July 13) and a
special two-hour episode profiling Mike Tyson (July 16).

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TAM