LeBron James said Celtics fans are “racist as [expletive]” and accused the team of selling shirts at its official shop that disparage him.
The Celtics are pushing back on the latter part of his claim.
How can LeBron call out Boston as part owner of the Red Sox?
During a recent episode of his YouTube show, “The Shop,” James was asked which road city’s fans have the biggest impact on the game. He quickly picked Boston, and then elaborated on his answer.
“Because they racist as [expletive], that’s why,” James said, smiling. “They will say anything. And it’s fine. I mean, [expletive], it’s my life. It’s [expletive] I’ve been dealing with my whole life. I don’t mind it. Like, I hear it. Like, if I hear somebody close by, I’ll check them real quick. I’ll move on to the game. They’re going to say whatever the [expletive] they want to say. They might throw something on you. I mean, I got a beer thrown on me leaving the game. Like, it’s Boston.”
Later in the conversation, James’ confidante and business partner, Maverick Carter, said TD Garden is one of the only venues in which fans wear shirts that accompany James’ shirt with an expletive.
James, who became part-owner of the Red Sox last year, agreed — and said the Celtics were complicit.
“There was like a ‘[expletive] LBJ’ T-shirt,” he said. “I believe they probably sold it at the [expletive] team shop. … They sold it at the team shop. I’m like, ‘Celtics had something to do with that [expletive].’ ”
In a statement issued to the Globe, a Celtics spokesperson said the team doesn’t sell apparel at its team store that disparages James, or any other player.
James, of course, is far from the first player to talk about experiencing racism in Boston, or accuse Celtics fans of being inappropriately vitriolic. During the NBA Finals, Steve Kerr and Klay Thompson whined about the “[expletive] you Draymond!” chants that rang throughout the Garden whenever he touched the ball.
Green’s wife ripped Celtics fans as well.
Last year, Kyrie Irving spoke about hearing racist remarks from Celtics fans prior to their playoff series. A fan threw a water bottle in his direction at the end of a game.
Interestingly, James once pushed back against the notion that Celtics fans traffic in racist taunts. Back in 2017, he said he couldn’t “recall ever hearing” something racist directed towards him at the Garden.
Too bad his friends on “The Shop” couldn’t ask a follow-up.