Veteran Warriors forward Draymond Green gave new Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George a stark warning about his new fanbase ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
The Philadelphia faithful are some of the most supportive fans across professional sports, but they also are some of the most critical, which might not be received well by George, who some believe does not take well to criticism.
Green told NFL insider Jordan Schultz about George’s looming rude awakening on Friday.
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“Good luck, Paul George,” Draymond Green said (h/t ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly). “Aw, he better play well, or they're going to crush Paul George if he don't play well, oh my god.
“You know why they're gonna crush Paul George if he don't play well there? Because they already got a nasty taste in their mouth from their last three (small forward) that they had with Tobias Harris. They never felt like he brought it, so that's why.”
George, who heavily was linked to Golden State this offseason, is a nine-time NBA All-Star and probable future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
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But the two-way sharpshooter often has struggled under heavy scrutiny. Perhaps the best example of George’s woes came during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 NBA season in the “bubble” in Orlando.
George wasn’t his electric self at the time by any means. He has no choice but to be in Philadelphia.
76ers fans are hungry for a title. They won’t be too patient -- or nice -- with George, and literally ran former Philadelphia stars Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons out of town in recent years after too many shortcomings, as Green noted.
“You know what the problem is with Philly though?” Green added. “Philly fans are harder on their own team than they are on the opposing team. Like Philly killed their own players.
“The guys coming in, and they're focused on crushing their guys so much, that they really don't kill you when you go to Philly like that. Like they be crushing their own guys. That's the point. It's hard to last there.”
Joel Embiid is in a league of his own; he has embraced the harsh 76ers fan base and they love him for it. Everyone else, though ...
“Paul George better play well,” Green concluded. “And they better win.”
Philadelphia hasn’t won an NBA championship since the 1982-83 NBA season. The city expects George to help bring one.
It is unknown if George knew -- or cared -- about the fact when signing his four-year, $212 million max contract with the 76ers this summer.
After losing out on George this offseason, though, Green and the Warriors are fine watching the popular forward and Philadelphia get to know each other.
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