Paul Pierce gets humbled by YouTuber with 143k subscribers with LeBron James comparison 

Youtuber Tylil James, AKA Thetylilshow, recently called out Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce for consistently disrespecting his ex-rival, LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James. The critique seemingly struck a nerve, as Pierce offered a fiery response.

Since his 2017 retirement, Pierce has taken numerous shots at James. Most notably, during a 2020 ESPN appearance, he said that the four-time MVP wasn't a top-five player of all time. Pierce's controversial comments came despite James being widely considered Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan's biggest threat in the GOAT debate.

Moreover, just last month, Pierce said on FS1's "Undisputed" that he was "truly responsible for helping take LeBron to that next level."

The one-time NBA champion's constant attempts to undermine or take credit for James' success have rubbed many the wrong way. That seemingly includes Thetylilshow, who approached Pierce face-to-face to discuss the matter.

The YouTuber, who has 143,000 subscribers, urged the 10-time All-Star to start showing James more respect, noting that the latter is on another level.

"Paul Pierce, you're an NBA legend, but on my mother, you can't f**k with Bron," Thetylilshow said. "You know that, though. Give Bron his flowers, Paul Pierce."

Pierce seemingly didn't appreciate the comments, as he fired back at the Thetylilshow.

"You can't f**k with me," Pierce said.

Despite Pierce's career accomplishments paling in comparison to James', he played James competitively throughout his career. Pierce finished with a 34-35 career regular season and playoff record against the four-time champion. So, it appears unlikely he will let their rivalry go anytime soon.

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Paul Pierce on his reasoning for scrutinizing LeBron James

While many have taken exception to Paul Pierce's jabs at LeBron James, according to the Celtics legend, he doesn't hold any personal grudges toward his ex-rival.

During a 2021 appearance on the "Cedric Maxwell Podcast," Pierce touched on the reasoning behind his criticism of the 20-time All-Star. He noted that facing constant scrutiny is a normal part of being an all-time great player.

"I have nothing against LeBron James," Pierce said. "We have had our battles, yes. We’ve had some great battles, and I appreciate being there to face a guy of that caliber who people consider the greatest of all time or right there.

"But what people only hear is the negative things I've said. In my eyes, they're not negative. It's just that some people are more deserving of criticism than others, and when you're chasing the GOAT spot, you're gonna get more criticism," he continued.

Nevertheless, Pierce's true motive behind nitpicking James' accomplishments remains a subject of debate among basketball fans.

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