Validation Is A Hell Of A Drug: Observations from Paul Pierce’s IG Live Video

“Chasing that farewell tour! They don’t love you like that. Can’t get no farewell tour. They don’t love you like that. You ain’t got that type of love. You thought you was Kobe.”

-Draymond Green

At this point, we all watched the video of Paul Pierce wilding on Instagram, and we all got our jokes off as expected. What wasn’t expected, for me at least, was seeing something else.

While I did receive some pushback for my take, the point I’m conveying will stand regardless. It’s not about the what with me. It’s about the how. It’s about the manner of the what. To me, that manner looks ‘off’. Let me explain.

Many just see the party as it is-Pierce shown getting drunk and high with strippers. Okay cool, but look at the vibe. You would think that such a party would be a little more lively. A little more festive. A lot more lit than what was shown. To me, it teeters on looking more like self-medication than full on enjoyment.

Think about it. He put this on live! He was more concerned with capturing it all for us and himself instead of partaking. Why though? I’ll tell you the exact reason why! He’s still craving validation.

“You ain’t got that type of love. You thought you was Kobe!”

Pierce retired in 2017 and four years later, it still seems as if he’s chasing the type of love that was bestowed upon his contemporaries such as Kobe; Such as Allen Iverson; Such as Tim Duncan for example. Pierce’s resume on the court made him qualified. You can’t argue with this:

NBA Champion

Finals MVP

10x NBA All-Star

All NBA Second Team

3x All NBA Third Team

Pierce had an incredible career in the NBA. That is undeniable and not up for debate. However, he just didn’t resonate like Kobe, AI, and the like did, and that’s what seems to be bothering him. To Pierce, it’s like his career in itself wasn’t enough.

If Pierce was secure in his career, like he should be, he wouldn’t feel the need to prop himself up all the time. Here’s Pierce comparing himself to Kawhi Leonard


Pierce also said that he was better than Dwayne Wade. Jalen Rose and Michelle Beadle shut him up real quick.

It doesn’t make matters any better when NBA fans clown consistently. The clowning has been so prevalent with Pierce to the point where he’s more remembered for Draymond Green roasting him, bad takes on ESPN, and various jokes and memes, than he is for his career. It’s shameful, but here we are and there he was posting the party on IG for who? For what? Who was he trying to impress? Who was he trying to put on a show for? Was it us? I’m going to tell you right now. We don’t care. We don’t give a damn. We got what we came for – more clowning, more jokes, more memes, and another attempt at finding a love that’s been unrequited during the later years of a Hall Of Fame worthy career.

No Paul, “they” don’t love you like that. They might not ever love you like “that”. That’s on them. However, “they” can respect you and what you’ve done on the court and your analysis of the game off of it. Whether “they” do that or not, that’s on you, fam!