Paul George says joining the Boston Celtics has reignited his passion for basketball after a difficult two-year spell with the Philadelphia 76ers, with the veteran forward describing his new environment as a refreshing change.
Speaking to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, George said Boston’s culture, organization and locker room had brought out a different side of him as he prepares for his 17th NBA season.
“This locker room, the culture here, the front office, the city, the organization, the tradition, all of that is something that I’ve never been a part of,” George said. “Where everything is high quality. For me, it’s refreshing. Hopefully, I can remain healthy.”
George added that he had begun to feel like a journeyman during his career but would welcome the opportunity to make Boston his long-term home.
“I’m ecstatic with being here, being around these guys, like they brought something else out of me that to be quite frank has been buried, and that’s just a different passion,” he said. “There’s a love again for this game, and I just think everything is kind of just aligning at the right time for me here.”
The 36-year-old arrives in Boston after two frustrating seasons in Philadelphia. Injuries limited him to 41 games in 2024-25, while a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy disrupted his 2025-26 campaign. George said the substance involved was taken for a mental health issue.
Despite those setbacks, he finished last season averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 37 appearances. His postseason performance against Boston also helped strengthen the Celtics’ interest in acquiring him.
George averaged 17.4 points in that seven-game series while shooting 55% from three-point range, according to Washburn. Boston subsequently traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for George in an offseason deal that also brought the Celtics future draft picks.
The move reunites George with Jayson Tatum, who grew up admiring the veteran forward and modeling parts of his game after him.
“Somebody that I’ve obviously admired for a very, very long time, when I was in high school and college and competing against him,” Tatum said. “It’s surreal because I was in high school modeling my game after him and watching film of him when I was in high school and college.”
George acknowledged that criticism and the pressure to deliver a championship had affected him throughout his career. He said he now focuses on what he can control and approaches each opportunity with gratitude.
“The one thing that I’ve relied on is and what I’ve been [discussing with] my therapist is gratitude,” George said. “Understanding where I’ve been in my career, and understanding where I’m at in my career. And just having gratitude to be thankful for every time I touch the floor.”
Boston offers George another opportunity to pursue an NBA championship, something he has yet to achieve despite multiple deep playoff runs. He said he intends to embrace the Celtics organization and the challenge of playing under head coach Joe Mazzulla as he looks to make the most of this stage of his career.
