"I couldn't believe it, I was a projected top-five pick" - Why Paul Pierce was shocked when he dropped in the 1998 NBA Draft

Paul Pierce was among the most highly sought-after prospects during the 1998 Draft. He was a natural scorer with the size to compete against the best wing players in the league. His skill set and mentality made him a top prospect, but he suddenly fell during Draft Night.

Looking back at the Draft, Pierce was surprised he fell so far. He wanted to be a high draft pick but dropped to the lower part of the lottery with the tenth pick. However, it was the perfect spot for him, as the Boston Celtics would fully embrace him as a building block for the future.

"I couldn't believe it, I was a projected top-five pick. I thought I was going to Vancouver at number two. Two or three guys I've never even heard of," Pierce said on Any Given Wednesday in 2016. "Truthfully, I never even heard of Dirk Nowitzki 'cause it wasn't like he was on the college circuit. I followed the guys who were in college."

Pierce wanted to become the best player in his class

Getting drafted that low led to a chip on Pierce's shoulder. He wanted to be known as one of the best players in the Draft by being picked as high as possible, but it did not happen. The Truth became more motivated to perform, so he became a brave Boston player.

Pierce kept pushing himself to improve and become one of the best players in the league. That was inspired by his being overlooked in the 1998 Draft. All eyes were on Dirk Nowitzki or Michael Olowakandi. Still, only a few appreciated how good Pierce was early in his career.

"If you go back and look at the Draft, I remember saying like, 'You know what, there's gonna be nine other teams that's gonna regret not picking,'" Pierce continued. "Because I knew how hard I worked, I knew I was gonna back what I say up, and I wasn't scared of putting myself in the line. So I was like, I'm gonna make those nine teams regret."

Pierce got rewarded for his time in Boston

He showed he was not afraid of the moment, cementing himself as a top player on the Celtics team. Pierce and Antoine Walker built a formidable partnership, cementing themselves as a good Playoff team that could make some noise.

Paul was competing against some of the best wings in the league, scoring plenty of points while being the team's leader. However, he would only get rewarded for his loyalty to the franchise by the team getting Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen before the 2007/08 season. They immediately won a championship in their first year, firmly cementing Pierce's status as a Hall of Fame player.

It was a cathartic moment for Paul because it took him a decade to win a championship. He even stood out and won the Finals MVP over his fellow superstars, KG and Allen. Looking back now at the 1998 Draft, only Dirk might have a better resume than Pierce, which proves some general managers wrong for not picking him earlier.

Related: "I give Paul Pierce all the credit" - When Robert Parish said he found a reason to be proud of the Celtics again