Paul Pierce Net Worth: Ex-ESPN Host Earned This Much During NBA Career

Paul Pierce recently made headlines after being fired from ESPN following his inappropriate Instagram Live video over the weekend. Prior to becoming a sports broadcaster, Pierce was known for his skills on the court. Here’s how much he netted throughout his NBA career.

Before becoming a sports analyst for ESPN, Pierce, 43, played 19 seasons in the NBA, predominantly with the Boston Celtics. Pierce was renowned for his ability to attack and defend on the basketball court, earning the monicker “The Truth” for his clutch performances during close games.

The basketball star earned a total of $195.1 million in NBA contracts alone before retiring in 2017, Spotrac reported.

Pierce also made money from sponsorship and shoe deals with Nike. At the height of his career, he was receiving $19 million in NBA salary and an estimated $3 million to $4 million from his endorsements, as per Celebrity Net Worth. He is worth an estimated $70 million as of 2021, according to the website.

In the 1998 NBA draft, the Boston Celtics selected Pierce with their 10th overall pick, jump-starting his basketball career. He immediately started for the team, performing consistently throughout his rookie season. He recorded an average of 16.5 points per game as a rookie for the Celtics.

In the 2007-2008 NBA season, the Celtics star went to form the Boston team’s “Big Three,” together with players Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. The star-studded squad went on to register a 66-16 regular season record that year. The Boston Celtics proceeded to clinch the NBA championship that season, with Pierce earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award for his performance during the championship series.

In 2013, the Boston Celtics, following previous season slumps, traded Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets. Pierce spent the majority of his career with the Celtics, playing for the team for 15 seasons. Though traded to other NBA teams, Pierce retired as a Celtic in 2017.

After retiring, Pierce worked as a guest analyst for the 2016 and 2017 NBA Finals. He was eventually made a studio analyst for ESPN’s "The Jump" and "NBA Countdown." However, Pierce was removed from his position on ESPN Monday following his controversial debacle on social media.

The 10-time NBA All-Star is among the finalists in the 2021 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class.