"She would sit there every game": Celtics' legend Paul Pierce reminisces his mom being his biggest supporter at Inglewood High School

Ex-Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce has said that his mom, Lorraine Hosey, was his number one supporter even before he became an NBA star. Pierce is one of the greatest basketball players to play in the NBA, winning the 2008 championship with the Celtics and the Finals MVP. But before he became an NBA champion, he was a player at Inglewood High School.

During that time, Pierce never knew what he would go on to achieve in the NBA, but that did not stop his mom from supporting him all the way. Speaking on "The Truth Lounge" this week, Pierce shared how his mother supported him all the way.

“Our bench used to be on this side and our locker room was over there, and my mom would sit straight at the op under that pipe that’s coming down. She would sit there every game, right on the top row behind the bench. My biggest fan.

"I’ll be like mom I don’t want you to come to this game because I get nervous. You gonna be yelling. She’ll be like, 'I won’t come to this one,' until I turned around, she’s right there." (00:05:20)

This is not the first time Pierce has discussed his mom's support and influence, who passed away in April 2023. Pierce revealed on Draymond Green's podcast that his mother, Lorraine Hosey, was a single mother of three who had to sacrifice a lot to ensure her three sons followed their dreams and aspirations.

Paul Pierce navigating high school basketball

Despite his mother's support, Paul Pierce did struggle early in his high school basketball career. The NBA 75th Anniversary member missed the first two years at the school and had to bulk up in the gym. The disappointment of missing the first two years did fuel Pierce as he went on to become the best player on the team.

Paul Pierce's performances at Inglewood were so good that he won all the local awards in California, including LA Times Player of the Year, Daily Breeze Player of the Year, and California’s Mr. Basketball. He was also honored as a McDonald’s All-American.

Speaking about his time at Inglewood, Pierce revealed it was during his junior year that things worked out for him.

"My junior year is when I took off. Sophomore was cool, then my junior year it just went straight uphill because I started winning all local awards," Pierce told The Truth Lounge.

At the end of his junior year at Inglewood, Pierce averaged 26.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Paul Pierce would later go on to commit to Kansas before going on to dominate the NBA, winning the chip with the Boston Celtics.