?Wouldn?t Be on Mars if That Didn?t Happen?: 2 Years After ‘Stripper’ Controversy With ESPN, Stephen A Smith?s Former Colleague and Celtics Legend Shows Remorse

NBA players facing controversy is nothing new. Due to a life constantly under media attention, athletes face a lot of scrutiny. As a result, any slip-up is going to find its way into the news cycle. However, when the slip-up reaches the public eye as a result of your showing off, the consequences can be dire.

Such was the case for a former NBA Champion. While his hot takes are always controversial, an unfortunate incident left him without a job. Almost 2 years later, the Boston Celtics legend?reveals his true feelings on the matter.

His ESPN firing filled this legend with remorse

Paul Pierce’s tenure with ESPN had been an absolute riot. Whether it was stupid or hot takes, the Truth?spoke just too much truth. As a result, his shows were a constant highlight, even if just for ridicule. However, even before firing its employees became the norm for Stephen A Smith’s employer, they had to let Pierce walk. Since then, the former Finals MVP has been a constant on podcasts throughout the NBA world. But a return to the media giant remains out of the question.

Speaking with FOX about it, Pierce talked about how the incident affected him, “Yeah, I lost my job at ESPN…We all make some mistakes. Maybe I wouldn’t be on Mars if that didn’t happen. See, things happen for a reason.”

For Pierce, the move away from the company hasn’t resulted in a lack of views. Whether it be controversial opinions about Dwyane Wade or Paul George, his appearance on podcasts is a guaranteed success.

Read More: ?Muhf***as Getting Diarrhea?: 3x NBA Champion Barks Back at Celtics Legend for Biting at Dwyane Wade and LeBron James

Still, the manner in which the firing came about surely left a sour taste in Pierce’s mouth.

Pierce’s bad luck led to unemployment

The story is a popular feature through the NBA world. An unfortunate video showcasing Pierce with strippers led to the family-friendly ESPN letting the Boston legend walk. However, Pierce finally did explain his side of the story.

“I was at my boy’s birthday party. We was playing poker, and it was girls just dancing, and alcohol…It was a big old controversy. I mean it wasn’t nothing illegal.” When asked about how the video made it online, Pierce admitted his mistake, “I accidentally did, my dumb a**.”

Watch This Story: $304,000,000 Celtics Deal Set to Bring a “Black Wall Street” in Boston

Years later, while he still garners a lot of attention and views, perhaps the move was for the best. As we’ve seen, the media giant hasn’t been shy of letting people go for seemingly no reason. In that way, it was probably not the worst time when the Truth?got out.