Boston Celtics fans probably hate Kyrie Irving more than any other player in the NBA, but the Brooklyn Nets star thinks they’re just mad he left them.
Celtics fans once again taunted Irving on Sunday, this time as their team defeated the Nets. They came together with an extremely loud “Kyrie sucks! chant late in the game, and everything couldn’t help but react (video here). Reporters asked Irving after the game about the chants, and he compared fans in Boston to a “scorned girlfriend.”
"I know it's going to be like that for the rest of my career, coming in here. It's like the scorned girlfriend – wants an explanation on why I left but still hoping for a text back. I'm just like, 'it's fun while it lasted.'"
– Kyrie Irving on his relationship with Celtics fans pic.twitter.com/5XQ6vfDp9d
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) March 6, 2022
Irving praised the Celtics organization and said he still has great relationships with his former teammates, but the comment about the fans will only create more hostility. It’s convenient for him to act like fans in Boston are just mad that he left, but that hardly tells the whole story.
Irving wore out his welcome with many Celtics fans long before he left Boston. He called out his teammates publicly even though the team made a deeper playoff run before he arrived. Irving was also arrogant with the media at times and did not display good leadership qualities.
Some Celtics fans have taken things too far while showing Irving how much they dislike him, but comparing them to a jealous ex-girlfriend doesn’t make much sense.
Photo: Feb 1, 2020; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
