*Former Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce is being sued over an alleged gambling debt.
Pierce has been hit with a lawsuit by Stephen Carmona over a six-figure gambling debt from high-stakes poker games, according to TMZ Sports.
Here’s more from the outlet: Stephen Carmona says he was hosting a poker game at his home on Jan. 27, when Pierce showed up and asked Carmona to lend him some money so he could play. Carmona claims he gave Pierce $150,000, and alleges the former Boston Celtics great — who reportedly made over $195 million in his playing career — promised to pay him back within seven days. Pierce went on to lose $140K in the game and only returned $10,000 to him.
Per the report, Carmona hosted another poker game at his home a week later. Pierce showed up and requested an additional loan. Carmona handed over $40,000, which the ex-NBA player went on to lose that night.
READ MORE: ESPN Dumps Paul Pierce Over IG Live Video of Him Partying with Strippers
According to the lawsuit, Pierce never paid back the full loan. Carmona claims he’s out $180,000 — and “despite multiple requests for repayment,” Pierce refuses to pay up.
In the suit, Carmona is asking for $180,000 plus interest, per the report.
Last spring, Pierce was curbed by ESPN as a host/commentator after he appeared in an Instagram Live stream with exotic dancers.
The NBA analyst is seen in the video smoking and playing poker with scantily clad dancers performing in the background — all while ignoring COVID-19 safety protocols. When ESPN caught wind of his antics, Pierce was reportedly fired. He had worked for the network since 2017, being a part of “The Jump” and “NBA Countdown.”
Pierce, the MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics, responded to being canceled by the network on Twitter, posting, “Big Things coming soon stay tuned make sure u smile (hash)Truthshallsetufree.”
After social media users roasted him for getting fired on his day off, Pierce clapped, saying, “I can’t lose even when I lose I’m winning.”
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