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In theory, Boston Celtics fans should love forward Georges Niang. The 32-year-old hails from Massachusetts and grew up less than an hour away from TD Garden. He also plays selflessly and is all about team, explaining why he has the most regular season wins of any NBA player since 2020 (with Celtics star Jayson Tatum close behind). But, in reality, a lot of Celtics fans do not love Niang, and he knows it.
The NBA journeyman arrived in Beantown this offseason following a significant trade that sent former Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Niang believes this summer swap — barely a year removed from Boston's 2024 championship run that Porzingis was a key part of — is a major reason why Celtics fans aren't thrilled about his homecoming.
“You know how tough Boston fans are, they don't give a s**t if I'm from Boston or not,” Niang told former NBA veterans Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem on ‘The OGs' podcast. “‘You just took our Unicorn and replaced it with a Minivan. Get the f**k outta here.' I'm like public enemy No. 1. They're like, ‘What is this? This ain't shiny. It's got scratches on it, man.”‘
Mass. native Georges Niang realizes he’s not winning any popularity contests in Boston following the Porzingis trade:
“They don’t give a s*** if I’m from Boston. ‘You just took our Unicorn and replaced it with a Mini Van’…I’m like public enemy number 1.”
(Via @theOGsShow) pic.twitter.com/qcxc9MrmxT
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) July 23, 2025
Niang, who nicknamed himself the “Minivan” for his reliability and humility, might have a point about Celtics fans being upset about losing Porzingis. The ex-Celtic is often called a “Unicorn” for his unique mix of size and skill, and Boston will miss the talented 7-footer on both ends of the floor.
Why don't most Celtics fans like Georges Niang?
However, a fair portion of the ire Niang faces has nothing to do with who he was traded for. During Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the former Philadelphia 76er grabbed the knee of Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
Jaylen Brown and Georges Niang were both given a technical foul after Niang appeared to grab Brown's leg from the bench. pic.twitter.com/rBwelUVROZ
— ESPN (@espn) May 14, 2023
Since he did this from the bench and not amid the chaos of the on-court action, Niang was caught red-handed on replay and received a technical foul. While the New England native denied any wrongdoing, the hold transpired right when Brown and the Celtics were trying to push the pace.
The Celts went on to win that do-or-die game in dominant fashion and eliminate the rival 76ers, but many Celtics fans never forgave Niang. Fortunately for him, Brown seemingly has, as the two were spotted together this summer during a WNBA game between the Connecticut Sun and the Indiana Fever.
JB 🤝 Niang ☘️ pic.twitter.com/9omGD7UKDB
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 16, 2025
If Niang truly wants a pardon from the Boston faithful, all he has to do is contribute to winning. The Celtics are severely undermanned due to Tatum's Achilles injury and a multitude of offseason departures, making Niang's role on the roster more crucial than it would've been in previous seasons.
The NBA vet understands that but knows there's always an expectation of winning in Boston, no matter what the roster looks like. And if Niang made one thing clear in his time on ‘The OGs,' it's that he's willing to do whatever it takes to help his hometown team.
“You don't want to be in Boston losing, that's for sure,” he said. “What can I do this summer? Can I come in, in the best shape that I'm in, and also mentor, and kind of teach, and also learn — because they've won championships. And kind of dial all that into one, and focus every day on how can I win the day, and then win games.”
