Jaylen Brown calls out 'problematic' portion of Celtics fan base

Boston is a notoriously tough place to play. However, in a recent interview with Sopan Deb of the 'New York Times,' Celtics star Jaylen Brown said that seeking positive social change off the court makes his job on it all that much more difficult.

"It's not the whole Celtic fan base, but it is a part of the fan base that exists within Celtic nation that is problematic," Brown said. "If you have a bad game, they tie it to your personal character." 

Brown said he has experienced some of the same negative experiences shared by other athletes in the past. While he tries to block out the toxic elements of his own home crowd, Brown indicated that it is near-impossible to ignore.

"I definitely think there's a group or an amount within the Celtic nation that is extremely toxic and does not want to see athletes use their platform," Brown said. "Or they just want you to play basketball and entertain and go home. And that's a problem to me." 

Brown isn't the only player to make similar remarks about Celtics fans. Last July, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James labeled Celtics fans as "racist" on his HBO show, 'The Shop.' In the 2021 Eastern Conference playoffs, upon his return to Boston with the Brooklyn Nets, former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving mentioned receiving "subtle racism" from Boston fans.

Ex-teammate Marcus Smart later confirmed his former teammates' comments. Smart told reporters it was "kind of sad and sickening" to hear Irving's allegations, admitting that it made it difficult to play in front of Boston fans.

It's impossible to know if speaking out will make any kind of immediate difference in his experience, but Brown's decision to voice his opinion on the stigma that surrounds the Boston fanbase as a whole is still important. 

The two-time All-Star has done his fair share of talking off the floor, but on it, he's more than holding his own. While the Celtics have hit a bit of a hiccup in recent weeks, they don't have Brown to blame. The Boston star has been nearly unstoppable over his last two games, scoring a combined 78 points while shooting 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. 

Brown and the Celtics remain second in the Eastern Conference at 48-22 as of Friday, trailing the first-place Milwaukee Bucks (50-20) by two games. The Philadelphia 76ers (47-22), winners of seven straight, are only a half-game back of the Celtics in third place.