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Former NBA star Paul Pierce has been bounced from his position with ESPN after going Live on Instagram. The basketball icon, who once played for the Boston Celtics, was an ESPN analyst until a few days ago. On April 5, 2021, Pierce was fired for posting a distasteful and racially connotative video.
Pierce had a very successful 19 season run in the NBA. The 2008 Boston Celtics MVP began his career with ESPN in 2017. As a sports analyst with the network, Pierce hosted several shows, like the studio show “The Jump” and its pregame show, “NBA Countdown.”
On Monday, April 5, Pierce posted a live video of himself in a room with exotic dancers. The dancers were half-
dressed, the basketball star was shown playing poker and smoking, and no one was wearing a face covering or practicing social distancing.
Outside of being mandated orders by the CDC, these were also COVID-19 restrictions set in place by the network. He was fired because his employer thought his actions and public display were “out of bounds.”
After the incident and the public announcement of his dismissal, Pierce posted a video saying:
Big Things coming soon stay tuned make sure u smile #Truthshallsetufree. Later that day he tweeted, I can’t lose even when I lose I’m winning.
The next play for ESPN is uncertain at this time. They are unsure if they will choose a new analyst from the draft pick or rotate the bench players. It is an open court, and we will soon see who has the next game.
Written by Sharri Rogers
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Chicago Tribune: ESPN fires Paul Pierce as an NBA analyst after the former Boston Celtics star posted a racy Instagram video; by Joe Reedy
CNN BUSINESS: ESPN fired Paul Pierce after his racy Instagram Live video; by Frank Pallotta
Featured Image Courtesy of Luis Pérez’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Top Image Courtesy of Boston Foundation’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Matt Dempsey’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License