While the 2024 NBA Playoffs have been kind to the current batch of Boston Celtics’ players and coaches, there’s nothing quite like grinding an ax about a former member of the franchise.
Based on the results from a survey of C’s fans conducted by BetMassachusetts.com, it seems like an enigmatic star guard that’s a victory away from squaring off against Boston in this year’s NBA Finals is the most disliked former Boston player at the moment.
The Boston Celtics have had their fair share of former players that leave fans feeling disgruntled. While we wait for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, BetMassachusetts.com wanted to see who the most disliked former player is. Polling fans under Reddit.com’s subreddit r/BostonCeltics, we ranked the 5 most disliked former Celtics players.
Note: The “disliking” pertains to a range of opinions of on-court performance or on/off-court behaviors.
Most Disliked Former Celtics Players
Rank | Player | Votes |
1 | Kyrie Irving | 220 |
2 | Kendrick Perkins | 69 |
3 | Ray Allen | 5 |
4 | Jabari Parker | 4 |
5 | Tristan Thompson | 3 |
Which Former Celtics Player Do Fans Loathe Most?
Based on the Reddit survey results, it seems like guard Kyrie Irving, who played for Boston from 2017 to 2019, is the most disliked former Celtics player in franchise history, with the lightning rod of attention and baskets generating 220 votes to easily beat out Kendrick Perkins, who had 69 votes.
It's hard to summarize how things went south for Irving in Boston, but it happened rapidly. Once the crown jewel of then-coach Brad Stevens' rotation, Irving fell out of favor with the front office and the fans alike in just two seasons, with injuries and off-the-court headaches taking their toll on the Celtics faithful in particular.
Throw in other outspoken former Boston stars like Ray Allen (five votes), Jabari Parker (four votes) and Tristan Thompson (three votes) and you have the full rundown on which Celtics expats are reviled by the fanbase in 2024.
Perkins since his time in Boston has become a thorn in some sides due to his commentary on ESPN. And while Allen helped deliver a title to Beantown alongside Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, his free agent decision to join then rival LeBron James and the Miami Heat has never sat well with Boston faithful.
Expect Boston fans to give Irving a warm welcome in Game 1 at TD Garden should the Mavericks advance in the Western Conference Finals, as Dallas currently holds onto a 3-1 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves with the winner playing the Celtics in the NBA Finals.
Luckily for the Celtics, it seems like oddsmakers see an uneventful championship run for the club, with most MA betting apps listing Boston as a -230 NBA championship favorite, to +190 for the Mavericks and +4000 for the Timberwolves.
USA Today photo by Kevin Jairaj.
