Ricky Pierce is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 16 seasons. Pierce was born on August 19, 1959, in Dallas, Texas, and attended Garland High School in Garland, Texas. He played college basketball at Rice University, where he was a standout player and was named the Southwest Conference Player of the Year in 1982.
Pierce was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1982 NBA draft, but he was traded to the San Diego Clippers before the start of the season. He played for the Clippers for two seasons before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1984. It was with the Bucks that Pierce had the most success in his career. He played for the team for seven seasons and was named an NBA All-Star in 1991 and 1992.
Pierce was known for his scoring ability and was one of the best sixth men in the league during his career. He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1987 and 1990, becoming the first player to win the award twice. Pierce was also a deadly shooter from the free-throw line, leading the league in free-throw percentage in 1987 and 1990.
After leaving the Bucks, Pierce played for several other teams, including the Seattle SuperSonics, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers. He retired from the NBA in 1998 with career averages of 14.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
Pierce was a key player on several successful teams during his career. He helped lead the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1986 and 1987, and he was a member of the SuperSonics team that reached the NBA Finals in 1996. Pierce was also a member of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in Barcelona.
After retiring from the NBA, Pierce worked as an assistant coach for several teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers. He was also inducted into the Rice University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
In conclusion, Ricky Pierce was a talented and successful basketball player who had a long and productive career in the NBA. He was known for his scoring ability and his prowess as a sixth man, and he was a key player on several successful teams during his career. Pierce's contributions to the game of basketball have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, and he remains a respected figure in the sport today.
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