Hawthorne, Calif. ? Paul Pierce said it. He meant it. And he still means it. The Boston Celtics small forward/guard recently was asked by a Spanish publication whether he thought Kobe Bryant was the best player in the world.

Pierce said no. The NBA Finals MVP called himself the “best player.”

He added, “There’s a line that separates having confidence and being conceited. I don’t cross that line, but I have a lot of confidence in myself.”