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One of the most intriguing subplots of this year's NBA Finals is Kyrie Irving's history with the Boston Celtics. The eight-time All-Star has already made headlines for his jabs toward Celtics fans this series, and now he's making comments that might confuse people.
Irving claimed that a large portion of the fanbase still loves him despite stomping on Boston's logo at the TD Garden a few years ago, via ClutchPoints' Daniel Donabedian.
"I don't expect to be celebrated by everybody… there are a lot of Celtics fans that still love me too, surprising to everybody."
Kyrie Irving talks about his relationship with Celtics fans 🗣
(via @danield1214) pic.twitter.com/JAZ8tnCQcr
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 8, 2024
“When I leave out of here, and I walk around Boston, I don't hear a lot of the things that I hear when I'm playing on the court,” Irving said. “There's a lot of mutual respect, there's a lot of eye-to-eye communication that's built on just being human, and they appreciate the things that I do off the floor as well. There are a lot of Celtics fans out there that still love me too, surprisingly to everybody. When I'm on the street walking around, which I do, it's a lot of love.”
This is a common phenomenon that happens with athletes, and public figures in general. People are much more likely to say nasty things to somebody when they can hide behind a screen, or when they're amongst a large crowd. Being mean directly to someone's face, though, is another story.
“I get a lot of praise, I take pictures, my dad is there, he played at Boston University,” Irving continued. “So there has to be a respect there, because if anything happens to my family when I'm here, then it goes way beyond the game.”
Of course, famous people are always at risk of either themselves or a loved one being hurt by disturbed fans. However, it's telling that that thought even crossed Irving's mind, considering how serious and dark that scenario is.
Did Irving over-dramatize the situation, or was he right to call out the fickle fan behavior?
Irving should be applauded for his self-reflection in his post-Celtics era
Irving's monologue on Saturday was unusually candid for a professional athlete in a media setting. Usually, they're more tight-lipped, handing out generic answers to avoid any negative headlines. However, the former Celtic offered plenty of context for why he previously aimed at the fanbase.
“I didn't know how to compartmentalize, or accept the emotions that came with failure,” Irving said. “And also being on the successful side, didn't know how to handle that either. The past few years have been about that growth perspective for me, and learning how to handle myself in certain situations and circumstances that are gonna be more beneficial for me to learn now than learning when I'm 38 years old and I'm looking back at my career, and I don't even know how to celebrate that. I don't expect to be celebrated by everybody.”
Irving's been embroiled in several controversies due to incidents like tweeting a link to an anti-semitic documentary, but he's been doing work to better himself as a person. There are certain things he brought on himself, but he seems to be maturing.
“I've gotta still be aware that a lot of people want to see me fail, but again, I think I pay attention more to the way that I'm celebrated by people that love me unconditionally, and I go home and have peace of mind,” Irving continued. “Thinking about my time in Boston, I could go down a myriad of things that none of you in here know that I was dealing with, and I don't think a lot of people would care. I think a few people would care when they hear about it, and I'll leave that space open in the future if you ever wanted to hear about it. But putting it in perspective, the blown calls, all the remarks that are getting said, that's basketball.”
Irving has previously mentioned in other forums about his depression, deaths in the family, and other heavy personal matters during that time. While people shouldn't get free passes to behave however they want because they're going through something, it's admirable that the former NBA champion dared to open himself up to the public.
“I don't forget things, either,” Irving concluded. “Somebody threw something at me here, while I was here. I heard it all. Nobody asked me how I felt after that, and why it could be a little bit of a traumatic response when I'm back in this environment when somebody does something like that. Things have changed since then, I've been able to accept, but I cannot change what changed the way that I look at things to be more positive. This is fun for me, this is healthy. I'm glad that I could be up on this stage and speaking authentically, and then also go home and be at peace.”
Irving, of course, was referencing when a Boston fan tossed a water bottle at him during the 2021 Playoffs, when he played for the Brooklyn Nets, via House of Highlights.
While Irving may have been wrong to step on the logo, no athlete deserves that type of treatment for anything sports-related. Celtics fans should remember that just as Irving isn't the most universally loved athlete, they're not a well-loved fanbase, either. They have a reputation of being annoying, as evidenced in the video.
Overall, Irving should be proud of his personal growth. While the “fans love me comment” sounds strange out of context, it's another reminder that people deserve to fully explain their opinions before they get judged on them.
