Paul George used to ‘despise’ Celtics, but his tune has changed: ‘I wish I was here a lot sooner’

Paul George grew up in Palmdale, California, which is about an hour north of Los Angeles. So, naturally, he grew up with a bit of dislike for the Celtics.

George never thought he’d play for the franchise, but the Jaylen Brown trade landed him in Boston. He said the Celtics’ green colors have been growing on him as he’s been wearing it.

“Obviously growing up a Kobe Bryant fan, and you know, from that being a Lakers fan and Clippers fan, I think as a kid you kind of despised green,” George told reporters on Monday. “But, in terms of when you think of the most storied franchises —not just in basketball but in sports in general — the Boston Celtics are the cream of the crop.”

“To have this opportunity is amazing. Obviously since I’ve been here it’s one of those things where I wish that I could have been here a lot sooner. Not to discredit anywhere that I’ve been, but since I’ve been here it’s been nothing but happiness and greatness. There’s just a great energy in this building, this facility.”

George, 36, appears to be having fun as he enters his 17th NBA season. He crashed the end of Jayson Tatum’s press conference while Tatum happened to be talking about him. He smiled as he took his seat. Many of his teammates, including Tatum, grew up watching his game.

“As you get older in this league, it’s kind of a weird cycle where you come in as a young guy and you throw on this shield as you go up against your idols and people that you look up to,” George said. “You carry this competitive spirit and then you get older and you become the veteran of the older guy.

“The more and more guys who have appreciated what I’ve done in my career and taken a liking to my game, the more I’ve leaned into that — helping them become better versions of what I am.”

Once a franchise player, George comes to the Celtics having missed at least half of the regular-season games in each of the past two seasons. He is embracing his role as a veteran who can mentor younger players, but he also has to prove that he can stay healthy and continue to play at a high level.

Critics have said that he’s washed up, a shell of the player the nine-time All-Star used to be. It’s nothing that George hasn’t heard before.

“It’s funny, but it’s frustrating,” George said of his detractors. “Just because, it’s like, I’m still capable of doing those things and I feel like my body is back healthy.”

“From a personal standpoint, it’s not about going out and trying to drop 30 every night. I think it’s moreso about being available, being efficient, being consistent — and I think for myself just proving that when healthy I am able to do what I’ve done in my career.”

George said something Monday that he wasn’t sure he’d ever say: He’s looking forward to being a Celtic.

“I’m happy to be in green,” George said. “I think this couldn’t have happened for me where I was at in my career and now everything is lining up now — I think this will be a really good chapter in my career.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.