Despite the best efforts of the media, CJ McCollum is far from deserving of being branded as the newest New York Knicks villain.
If his own post-Game 2 comments weren't enough to convince people, then perhaps Paul Pierce's latest remarks just might.
During a recent episode of the No Fouls Given podcast, Pierce, one of the most despised Knicks foes in the franchise's history, went on a whole spiel about how there are only a small handful of teams in the association that have not and will not win a championship in his lifetime.
While clubs like the Trail Blazers and Kings were mentioned, the loathed former player-turned-sports media personality specifically predicted "I'm dead" the next time New York gets back to the mountaintop.
Knicks fans reminded of what a real villain looks like with Paul Pierce take
Throughout his 19-year career, 15 of which were spent with the Knicks' division rival, the Boston Celtics, the Hall of Famer primarily served as a thorn in the side of the organization.
From ousting them in the postseason to hitting a number of clutch and highly demoralizing shots at their expense (cashing home on the game-winner over Amar'e Stoudemire with .4 on the clock still burns now close to two decades later), a considerable amount of his time on the floor was spent trying to bury the Knicks.
Of course, his disdain for New York didn't just go away once he called it a career back in 2017.
Since then, he's become perhaps even more public about his hatred of the organization. Be it in the form of a social media post of him stomping on Jalen Brunson's jersey or him straight up admitting that he hates the team during an appearance on Club Shay Shay earlier this year, his feelings about the organization seem to be abundantly clear.
Now, while it would certainly be an entertaining story to see another villain in this year's quarterfinals matchup with the Hawks come about, something that happened just five years ago with the likes of Trae Young, McCollum is by no means the man for the role.
Sure, he served as the leading figure in Atlanta's upset Game 2 win out at Madison Square Garden behind a 32-point performance, but that's simply an example of someone who played a great game in an effort to bring his team to a win -- not the makings of a new arch nemesis.
A villain is more so someone who showboats (Young with his dice-rolling gesture at mid-court) and riles up the Garden crowd (Reggie Miller and Tyrese Haliburton's "choke") while relishing in the Knicks fans' disappointment.
Paul Pierce is someone who absolutely fits this criteria. CJ McCollum, on the other hand, does not... not yet, anyway.
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