Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George played in his second game of the season on Wednesday night, and it was an important one as he returned to Los Angeles to play against the Clippers for the first time since leaving in free agency.
As anticipated, George received a mixed reaction in his return, with some fans welcoming him back with cheers and some welcoming him back with plenty of boos.
George scored 18 points and added seven rebounds and three assists in the 110-98 loss, but the story after the game was the booing of George in his Los Angeles return.
"It is stupid," George said of the booing. "I mean, I was a free agent, you know what I mean? It wasn't something that I demanded a trade or went against the team here. I was a free agent. The team presented something that was team friendly, and I did what was best for me in that situation. So there were the cheers. I appreciate them. Those were the ones that I played hard for. The boos, I didn't get it. I still don't get it when I go to Indy, but it is what it is. It's sports. I look forward to next year being back here and more boos."
Paul George on if the boos from Clippers fans bothered him:
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 7, 2024
“I mean it’s stupid. I was a free agent. It wasn’t something that I demanded a trade or went against the team. They presented a team friendly offer and I did what was best for me. There were cheers, those are the ones I… pic.twitter.com/9cl7shVpdz
George has moved on, and now the Clippers will too. But don't expect the fans to forgive him for leaving in free agency anytime soon, especially since the franchise fell short of its championship aspirations in his five years in Los Angeles.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Paul George Had Strong Reaction to Boos From Clippers Fans in Los Angeles Return.
