California sportsmen who have played in the World Series of Poker

Given the number of professional sportsmen who are also partial to a spot of poker, it’s safe to say sporting prowess often extends further than the playing field. World-class sportsmen like Neymar Jr, Cristiano Ronaldo, Shane Warne, Gerard Piqué and Michael Phelps have all been known to compete in international poker tournaments, many stacking up some serious winnings, but how about Californian talent? Today, we’re taking a look at some of California’s top sportsmen who have also taken the poker world by storm and competed in the game’s most prestigious tournament – the World Series of Poker.

Paul Pierce

Paul ‘The Truth’ Pierce (so-nicknamed by Shaquille O’Neal) was born and raised in Oakland. While his illustrious career in the NBA took him across the country to Boston, New York and Washington D.C., he spent two years playing back in his home state of California for the LA Clippers, before retiring with the Boston Celtics. Pierce took his killer instincts to the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas in both 2013 and 2014, and although he didn’t quite seize victory, he has praised poker for helping him to master the art of patience.

Richard Seymour

Without a doubt, Richard Seymour is one of the best defensive players in the NFL, playing for the New England Patriots, and later the Oakland Raiders, but his tactical talents have taken him well beyond the End Zone. Seymour has three Super Bowl’s under his belt, plus he has clocked up more than $139,000 in poker tournament winnings. Not only has he cashed multiple times at the World Series of Poker, but he has also won big at the Mid-States Poker Tour, and placed 18^th at the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic.

Orel Hershiser

Hershiser pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1983 to 1994 and for the San Francisco Giants for a year in 1998. After retiring from baseball, Hershiser took up poker and over the years he has competed in multiple high-profile poker events, including the 2008 World Series of Poker. Hershiser has made it a tradition to gift the opponent who knocks him out of poker tournaments with a signed baseball!

John Salley

Salley joined the LA Lakers in 1999 and played alongside basketball greats – Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. While he has four NBA championships to his name, he has yet to win big at the poker table…but there is still plenty of time. Salley regularly appears at major tournaments as a star player, including PokerStars Million-Dollar Challenge, and in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event.