Paul Pierce Speaks on Being Let Go From ESPN — "I Got Fired for Having a Good Time"

Although Paul Pierce retired from the NBA in 2017, the 10-time All-Star and 2008 NBA champion has had a successful pivot post-league. Since his departure, the 48-year-old has carved out a lane in the media/podcast world. He serves as a media personality, sports analyst, and podcaster.

Over the years, he has made a few appearances on shows like Club Shay Shay, hosted by Shannon Sharpe, and The Get Got Podcast with Marshawn Lynch. Not to mention, he has also created his own shows, The Truth Lounge with Kevin Garnett and The Truth After Dark. And in the first episode of the latter, Paul shared some insight about his dismissal from ESPN. So, why did Paul Pierce get fired from ESPN? Here’s everything we know.

Once the news of Paul’s dismissal made its rounds in April 2021, everyone had an opinion. After all, the decision came directly after an Instagram Live video of Paul and his friends went viral. In the video, Paul and his crew were seen enjoying the company of exotic dancers. Paul, who also looked inebriated, was also seen drinking and smoking.

Naturally, folks had a lot to say given that certain activities should be kept offline. Not to mention, since ESPN (or most companies, for that matter) have moral clauses, any questionable behavior can leave a person subject to termination. That said, Paul had no qualms about sharing the video, and he ultimately paid the price by losing his job.

In the first episode of his podcast, The Truth Lounge, Paul immediately opened up by introducing himself and sharing his opinions on why he was let go. And while most folks would say that it was a morals issue, he puts it as him having a good time being a problem for the network.

“It was all going down,” Pierce said. “It was my boy’s birthday. Poker game. And I’m feeling good. I’m enjoying retirement. It’s poker night … I was caught in the moment. What do you want me to do? I’m in the moment … me not knowing that you could record it, people can record it, send it out. That’s one thing I didn’t know about going live."

Paul shares that he went to bed feeling good and woke up the next day to people reaching out to him. Then, he received the call from an ESPN representative.

He continued: “Then, I got the call the next day, ‘Hey, Mr. Pierce. I’m sorry, we’re going to let you go. Disney has a morals clause.’ I was like, d--n … I got fired for literally having a good time.”

He went on to share that he “was going to quit at the end of the year anyway” and that he was “tired of putting on a coat and tie.” He also shared that he held back a lot on his opinions, so he believes “it was the right timing.”

Interestingly, Paul had opened up about his departure from ESPN a few months after, on an episode of Stars on Mars. In a conversation with Lance Armstrong and Tinashe, he revealed that he was the reason the video went viral, since he shared it. But he views the situation as a blessing in disguise.

"Yeah, I lost my job at ESPN over it," Pierce said. "We all make some mistakes. Maybe I wouldn’t be on Mars if that didn’t happen. See? Things happen for a reason."

Now that Paul no longer has professional ties to major networks with moral clauses, the NBA alum can navigate his lifestyle without fear of reprisals.

Since the firing, Paul has moved full steam ahead in investing in himself by creating his own podcasts and making his rounds through celebrity appearances. Since Paul was a dynamic basketball player and has been able to unlock a new following since entering the podcast space, we expect him to have success in this medium.

As of this writing, The Truth Lounge has 1.27 million subscribers, and The Truth After Dark has over 73,000 subscribers. And we believe that the number will continue to blossom over time.