South Sudan has managed to capture the attention of everyone after almost defeating LeBron James and Team USA recently. However, former NBA champion Paul Pierce‘s comments about the African squad has generated a lot of backlash against the Boston Celtics icon.
In a surprising pre-Olympic matchup, Team USA staged a remarkable comeback to defeat South Sudan with a score of 101-100 in London. The African squad, led by a strong performance from Marial Shayok, had built a 16-point lead in the first half, leaving the American team in the O2 Arena stunned.
However, four-time NBA champion LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis stepped up in the second half, orchestrating a 16-0 run to close out the third quarter and lead the USA’s recovery. Despite a late surge from South Sudan, including a go-ahead basket by JT Thor, James scored the decisive bucket in the closing seconds to secure the victory for the United States.
Ending the game with 23 points, six rebounds, and six assists, James once again demonstrated his clutch ability and leadership, refusing to let his team lose. This thrilling encounter between the two teams is sure to be a precursor to their highly anticipated clash at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where both will be vying for glory on the world stage.
One-Time NBA Champion Paul Pierce Criticized Over Controversial South Sudan Comments
After the game, various takes were shared by fans and critics alike. The most controversial, though, belonged to Pierce, as seen in a video posted by Usher Komugisha on X.
A very condescending take here from Paul Pierce on South Sudan 🇸🇸 who face the USA tonight in a friendly game.
He doesn’t think there is a player who’s 6ft3in! Meanwhile, the tallest ever player in the NBA – Manute Bol was from South Sudan at 7ft7in! 🤦🏾♀️pic.twitter.com/HI8bZhjZ5s
— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) July 20, 2024
Pierce is no stranger to controversies during and after his career in the NBA. The most notorious was when ESPN fired him a couple of years ago for posting a live video of him with some strippers.
Even though Pierce has generated a lot of backlash for his comments on South Sudan’s team, the African squad has managed to impress by making it this far in the Olympics. Given their background, their performance will surely garner a lot of interest when the tournament starts soon.
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