Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul Pierce has finally come to a decision regarding his future in the National Basketball Association.
On Monday Pierce via The Players’ Tribune announced that he will return for his 19th season then retire:
“This is it, my final season,” Pierce wrote. “It’s time to move on from the game of basketball. Just like any difficult decision, I think you’ve got to be at peace with yourself. I’m at peace with retiring, but I’ve got one more ride left. One more season. One more opportunity.”
It has come down to the wire for Pierce and earlier this month Clippers coach Doc Rivers said that the 38-year-old was on the fence about returning for his another season. Rivers also indicated that he believed that Pierce has something left in the tank.
“With the Clippers, in the city where I grew up, I feel like I have that opportunity on a great team,” Pierce wrote Monday. “We’re hungry. We want to win a championship.
“After 18 NBA years, it’s hard to believe I’ll be playing in each arena for the last time. So I’m going to enjoy every practice, every bus ride, every team dinner, every time running out through the tunnel. I’m going to do my part to give us a shot at the ultimate goal.”