Lakers superstar LeBron James calls the TD Garden in Boston the place he hates to play the most, citing racism as the reason.
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No sport is complete without its fans, who play an integral part in a player’s success. Nonetheless, there is no excuse for unethical behavior or immorality, no matter how passionate one is about his or her favorite team or player. There need to be repercussions borne for those stepping out of line.
Racism is not a new topic of discussion in the NBA. Over the years, there have been umpteen incidents of altercations and verbal exchanges between the fans and players. Despite the league implementing a strict code of conduct on such issues, incidents continue.
The most recent example is the 2022 Finals, where Warriors forward Draymond Green was at the receiving end of a host of abuses hurled by the Celtics fans at the TD Garden. It came to a point such that the former DPOY’s wife had to intervene.
However, Green and his family are not the only ones who despise the behavior of fans in Boston. During a recent episode of The Shop, LeBron James raised the same issue, citing an unfortunate incident.
LeBron James calls Celtics fans racist.
The City of Boston loves its sports, comprising some of the most passionate fans. The capital of Massachusetts is home to popular franchises like the New England Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox. These supporters surely do give a hard time to the visiting teams.
Though there is nothing wrong with unabashedly supporting your team, there are lines none can cross. Unfortunately, Boston shares a reputation of being one of the most racist places to visit for opposing teams, something superstar LeBron James agrees to as well.
When asked which place he hates to play the most, the King had the following response.
“Boston, because they’re racist as f**k, they will say anything”, said the four-time champion.
“I mean, I got a beer thrown on me leaving the game. There’s like a f**k LBJ t-shirt.”
James was referring to the 2012 ECF when a Celtics fan dumped a drink on him as he was walking to the locker room following Miami’s 98-79 win in Game 6.
While the 37-year-old superstar didn’t make a hue and cry about this, it’s high time the Celtics organization does some serious introspection. Sport is a beautiful amalgamation of various cultures and nationalities, promoting a healthy environment, and needs to be maintained like that.
