Boston Celtics star Malcolm Brogdon grew up in Atlanta, but it does not sound like he will have any mixed emotions while trying to beat his hometown team in Game 3 of the opening round of the playoffs Friday night.
Brogdon made some comments during Friday’s shootaround that may not sit well with Hawks fans. The newly crowned Sixth Man of the Year said he is “tied to this city” and will always consider Atlanta home, but he feels no connection to the Hawks franchise. Brogdon said he never did growing up, either.
Malcolm Brogdon says he loves Atlanta but when asked about the #Hawks fan base he said:
“Historically, these fans haven’t been the most dedicated. And that’s myself included coming up.”
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“Historically, these fans haven’t been the most dedicated, and that’s myself included (when I was growing up),” Brogdon said. “I was always an NBA fan, but not a Hawks fan.”
Brogdon certainly is not the only person with Atlanta roots who feels that way. The Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago, but that was their deepest postseason run in franchise history. They are known for mediocrity and early playoff exits, which is one of the reasons they do not have the most passionate fan base.
Fans at State Farm Arena may try to prove Brogdon wrong on Friday night by being a bit louder than usual, but it remains to be seen if it will help their team. The Hawks looked completely overmatched in Game 1 and Game 2.
