Paul Pierce Sings His Hate for Kobe Bryant in New Nike Ad

In case you’ve spent the last few months locked in a lead-lined doomsday shelter with no access to the NBA, Kobe Bryant is calling it quits at the end of this season, and the ensuing fanfare has made Derek Jeter’s All-American Farewall Tour Dance and Revue look understated.

In a new ad by Nike, Bryant plays conductor to a chorus of the myriad haters he’s accumulated over his 20 seasons with the Lakers, to the tune of Otis Redding’s classic “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.” The rendition features former Lakers coach Phil Jackson on organ, and one Paul Pierce, wearing Celtics green, pitching in on vocals.

Pierce, now sharing a building with Bryant as a member of the L.A. Clippers, did battle with the Black Mamba in the late-Aughts. Pierce, along with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, beat the Lakers on the way to Boston’s 17th championship in 2008, while Bryant and L.A. returned the favor in the 2010 Finals. The rivalry make Celtics-Lakers games relevant for the first time since Magic-Bird.

Paul Pierce on Kobe: "It’s always a sad day when you see one of the great players walk away from the game, but everybody has their time."

— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) December 10, 2015

In a piece for Jeter’s Players’ Tribune, Pierce called Bryant one of the five toughest players he’s ever guarded. “Kobe wants to destroy his opponent every night, and his desire to do so is second only to Jordan,” he wrote. “I never had to play against Michael when he was with the Bulls, so Kobe is the closest I’ve come to facing that type of determination in my career.”