When the Boston Celtics traded star guard Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, all eyes were on that part of the deal. Brown, a five-time All-Star who isn't even 30 years old, was the centerpiece. The Celtics adding nine-time All-Star Paul George felt like a footnote. The 36 year old is looking to be more than an afterthought in Boston. Although the general public probably won't hear from George until Media Day, which usually takes place at the end of September or the beginning of October, his first reaction to landing in Beantown and visiting the Celtics' facility was recorded and posted to YouTube on the all-access "Beneath the Banners" video series.
Paul George on joining the Celtics when he first visited the facility: “I’m gonna give y’all everything.” “It’s surreal. I’m ecstatic. I’m looking forward to the journey. I’m looking forward to wearing that green and representing for Boston.” (Via @celtics on YouTube) pic.twitter.com/7sLT0fG7jh — Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) August 16, 2026 "It’s surreal," George said in early July. "I’m ecstatic. I’m looking forward to the journey. I’m looking forward to wearing that green and representing for Boston." While Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens caught plenty of flak for losing Brown in return for two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and an aging star, the de facto general manager emphasized his belief in George. "We like Paul," Stevens said in his last press conference. "Paul's a really good player. We're not very far removed from all sitting in our series against Philadelphia and watching Paul be a guy that could carry you for portions of a quarter or a half, but also play a complementary role on both ends of the floor at the highest of levels." In Game 7 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, George recorded 13 points in 42 minutes while shooting 60 percent from 3-point land. His solid performance helped boost the Sixers' primary scorers — center Joel Embiid and point guard Tyrese Maxey — and contributed to a 109-100 upset win over the Celtics at TD Garden. Boston will hope for that version of George to appear next season, as the future Hall of Famer has struggled to stay on the court in recent years due to injury issues. "I'm excited," George said shortly after touching down in Boston. "I'm going to give y'all everything. And excited again for a new chapter and what's ahead." .oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}
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Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47 YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3 This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Paul George offers first reaction to joining Boston Celtics