The 2000 stabbing incident involving Paul Pierce was a terrifying event—one you wouldn't wish even on your worst enemy. Yet, despite this trauma, life had to continue somehow for 'The Truth.' Searching for a way to cope, the NBA star eventually found that in pursuing his job, or rather his passion: playing ball.
"Basketball took me away from thinking about it. I got up and went to practice early, so that I didn't have to think about being in the hospital and being stabbed. It was an escape. It's still the way. I step on the court and get peace of mind," said Pierce, per SLAM Magazine (Edition 59.)
Pierce quickly returned to the court
Pierce and his entourage headed out to a Boston nightclub in late September 2000, looking forward to a fun night out. However, things soon took a turn for the worse when a reported altercation broke out. Consequently, 'The Truth' was stabbed 11 times, suffering injuries to his face, neck, and back. On top of that, the then- Celtics player had a glass bottle smashed over his head, leading to a weeks-long hospital stay, including surgery.
Naturally, such an ordeal can have effects that are far from positive on both the body and the mind. However, Pierce appeared to overcome it all. Not long after the incident, the 2000-01 NBA season started, and the former 6'7" guard-forward was ready to play again. In fact, Paul didn't miss a single game that year. Later, he explained that his "hunger" to swiftly return to the court was fueled by those who claimed that he wouldn't be "the same player" following his injuries from the stabbing.
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Talking about his feelings proved to be key
The second reason why the Hall of Famer quickly returned to playing can be explained quite simply: Pierce heavily struggled to find solace anywhere else besides the hardwood.
"Me sitting at home thinking about [the attack] didn't work," he remembered, per The Guardian . "I went to every practice, sat on the sideline for hours, because that's where I felt safe. I didn't want those practices to end because then I had to go back out there in this world that really scared me."
Evidently, playing ball was more of an escape than a way to truly process the incident. Consequently, the former 10-time All-Star began to suffer from depression and anxiety attacks including a fear of being in public places.
Many NBA athletes, especially DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love, have emphasized the importance of taking care of mental health. Andre Drummond followed suit last year ; to improve his well-being, the big man changed his number and deactivated his social media.
Luckily, Pierce also found a suitable approach to improving his difficult situation, namely by opening up about his emotions to family members. In hindsight, it proved incredibly helpful for 'The Truth.'
"I realized, 'I should have done this sooner.' I would tell everyone to get the help they need," the 2008 NBA champ said.
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