The NBA is a league where star players hold the influence. And one of the biggest names in basketball just publicly voiced concerns about facing racial taunts in Boston.
That is a very big deal, regardless of Kyrie Irving's motivations. His words could be a serious obstacle for the Celtics as they try and recruit players to run alongside Jayson Tatum and make a push for Banner No. 18.
It's apparent Irving doesn't hold fond memories of his time in Boston, and the feeling is mutual. When Celtics fans booed Irving's introduction back in November 2019 (the All-Star was sidelined due to injury), he responded with an Instagram diatribe about how sports fans are "ignorant" and "obtrusive."
Irving's latest and most damaging barb came Tuesday, when he introduced race into the narrative surrounding his return to Boston. "Hopefully, we can just keep it strictly basketball, there's no belligerence or racism going on — subtle racism — people yelling s–t from the crowd," he said.
Later, Irving implied he's had racist comments directed towards him at the Garden, though he stated otherwise in 2019. "I'm not the only one that can attest to this," he said.
Right on cue, Kevin Durant backed up his All-Star teammate. "The whole world knows it," he said off-camera.
It was just five years ago that Brady and crew went down to the Hamptons in an attempt to lure Durant to Boston. Feelings have seemingly changed.
Notably, no Celtics players have refuted Irving's characterization of Boston, and we know this is a group with rabbit ears. Earlier this season, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker tweeted their denials of a report about Tristan Thompson being poorly received in the locker room. Tatum has spoken about his struggles with blocking out external noise.
Kendrick Perkins was the only semi-member of the organization to offer pushback. "Celtics fans are some of the best fans in the world," he said on NBC Sports Boston. "Me personally, I never dealt with any type of racism while I was living in Boston."
So what does that mean? Irving remains close with many of his former teammates, despite his occasional criticisms of them. Back in December, when the Nets came to Boston and played in an empty TD Garden, it was a straight up love fest.
There were no fans, and limited media — exactly how Irving likes it.
It was once believed that Kevin Garnett's arrival, and subsequent lionization, would change the perception of Boston in NBA circles. Famously, Garnett was apprehensive about playing here, but then he fell in love. He said in his Hall of Fame speech his only professional regret was not coming to Boston earlier.
But Irving's remarks, and Durant's affirmation, show that wasn't the case. The Celtics' silence is telling as well.
Now, Irving has set the story for Friday. The reaction to him will be viewed through a racial sense. And that is unfair.
As we've seen this postseason, every NBA fanbase is vitriolic towards opposing players — sometimes inappropriately so. Knicks fans showered Trae Young with cries of "f— you!," and a fan in Philadelphia dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook as he was leaving the court.
Can you imagine the reaction if the Garden erupts with a "f— you Kyrie!" chant tonight, or if somebody throws something at him?
Michael Wilbon would once again be calling for the stadiums to be shut down.
Boston sports fans have earned their shameful reputation, and you don't have to go back to Bill Russell to find examples of racial animus. Within the last decade, there have been incidents involving Joel Ward, P.K. Subban, DeMarcus Cousins, and of course, Adam Jones. Numerous contemporary Black baseball players, including Barry Bonds and Torii Hunter, have talked about hearing racist taunts at Fenway.
But the city has also changed since the busing crisis. Look at this year's mayoral race: Every major candidate is a person of color.
Irving's comments, however, make it sound like nothing has changed. And other players may take them as gospel.
The Celtics have a tough selling job ahead of them.
