The $33m Bermudian NFL star made his first New York public appearance yesterday after signing with the New York Giants.

Antonio Pierce, the recipient of a 1000 percent payrise based on one incredible season as a starting middle linebacker with the Redskins after three years of relative obscurity, watched the NBA game between the New Jersey Nets and the Miami Heat on Thursday night with new defensive co-ordinator Tim Lewis.

?It?s a great organisation, a great city and a great sports town,? Pierce said as he was leaving the game late in the fourth quarter. He added that after seeing the Giants offer it did not take him long to decide to accept it.

On signing with the Giants after publicly stating a preference to stay in Washington and even offering them a chance go match New York?s Giant numbers, Pierce was diplomatic.

?You never know. It didn?t turn out that way,? he said.

?The Giants were one of the first teams I heard from. It?s a division team, so I?m familiar with the guys. I look forward to better things with the Giants. It?s time to win the East and knock Philly off.?

And Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi went some way yesterday to explaining how Pierce was picked despite a day spent negotiating with free agent linebacker Kendrell Bell of the Steelers.

?We really didn?t have much to choose from between the two linebackers,? Accorsi said.

?We pretty much had the two rated evenly. As it progressed, Pierce became our guy.?