Former NBA star Paul Pierce was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after being found asleep behind the wheel on a Los Angeles highway, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officers were responding to an unrelated multi-vehicle crash that temporarily closed several lanes of the northbound freeway. As traffic lanes reopened, officers noticed a Range Rover stopped in the road south of the crash site. When approached, Pierce was asleep in the driver’s seat, and officers observed signs of alcohol impairment, according to a CHP news release.
Pierce was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence and booked at the CHP’s Central Los Angeles Area office. The case will be reviewed by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
Pierce gave his side of the story in an Instagram post, saying he fell asleep after “being stuck in standstill traffic for 45 minutes.”
“I’m old, I’m tired and I fell asleep,” Pierce wrote. “I’m good y’all thanks for the love.”
Pierce, 47, played 19 seasons in the NBA, including 15 with the Boston Celtics. He also had stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and finished his career with the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in 2017. A 10-time All-Star and NBA Finals MVP in 2008, Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Pierce starred at Inglewood High School and was a McDonald’s All-American in 1995 before playing college basketball at the University of Kansas. Drafted 10th overall in 1998 by the Celtics, Pierce became one of the franchise’s most decorated players, helping lead Boston to the 2008 NBA championship.
After retiring in 2017, Pierce worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN and later joined Fox Sports as a co-host on “Speak,” which was canceled in July 2025.