NBA analyst Paul Pierce has been fired by ESPN, people familiar with the situation confirmed Monday.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to publicly comment on personnel matters.
The news was first reported by Barrett Sports Media.
Pierce, who played 19 seasons in the NBA, had worked for the network since 2017, including being a part of the “NBA Countdown” pregame show. He posted an Instagram video Friday night that showed him playing poker and smoking with scantily clad dancers performing in the background.
Pierce, the MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics, addressed his future on Twitter, posting:
Big Things coming soon stay tuned make sure u smile #Truthshallsetufree pic.twitter.com/YIaJMcNQoH
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) April 5, 2021
I can’t lose even when I lose I’m winning 🤔🤔😳😃😃😃
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) April 6, 2021