Only a handful of high school athletes ever reach the NBA. Even fewer go head-to-head with one of the greatest dunkers of all time before making it to the league. But in 1995, a young Paul Pierce did just that – and immediately regretted it.

In 1995, both Paul Pierce and Vince Carter were among the best high school basketball players in the nation. Pierce was a highly regarded prospect out of Inglewood High School in California. While Carter was already turning heads with his jaw-dropping athleticism in Florida. The two crossed paths at the McDonald’s All-American Game, where organizers had included a highly anticipated dunk contest. Pierce, a confident competitor, decided to enter the contest, unaware he was stepping into a dunking showcase dominated by Carter.

In a recent post shared by Paul Pierce on Instagram, he shared a picture with Vince Carter, standing side by side. Posting it as a throwback to their high school All-American Game, captioning it, “Why my dumb ass get in a dunk contest with @mrvincecarter15 class of 95” reminiscing the day where ‘The Truth’ got the truth of defeat served by ‘Air Canada’ himself.

Carter’s first dunk made it evident: the contest was decided before it began. Carter unleashed a barrage of gravity-defying slams that had the crowd in a frenzy. Reverse jams, windmills, and dunks that made it look like he had rockets in his shoes, Carter was simply on another level. Pierce tried. He threw down solid dunks. But against Carter? They looked ordinary. By the final round, the winner was obvious. Years later, the internet never forgets. When Pierce shared a throwback post about that night, fans wasted no time reminding him how it played out.

How Did The Fans React To The Dunk Contest Between Paul Pierce and Vince Carter?

The fans had a field day on social media, expectedly when the post hit Instagram. They echoed the sentiment that Paul Pierce himself shared. One fan who witnessed the dunk contest commented, “Really thought you was gone win 😭😭 you was 240😭😭”, saying that Paul was slightly overweight and didn’t have the athleticism to beat Vince Carter. Another fan taking a hilarious route commented, ”S-curl had you acting different 😂😂😂”, blaming the Jehri curl that Paul Pierce spotted using the hair product ‘S-curl’ for the defeat.

 One fan of Vince Carter commented, “Lmaooo nah u was wildin bro”, expressing the ridiculousness of the event. “Pierce really thought he had a chance until Vince levitated mid-air”, expressing awe over the gravity defying ball handling that Vinsanity displayed. Another fan commented, “You didn’t have a chance Truth”, finally delivering ‘The Truth’ a final truth bomb. 

While Paul Pierce may have lost that contest embarrassingly, he certainly made up for it with an incredible basketball career. He learned a valuable lesson that day. Sometimes, it’s best to leave the high-flying theatrics to the true aerial artists. But at least he can laugh about it now, knowing he played a part in the legend of Vince Carter, even if it was on the wrong end of the highlight reel.