Celtics Champion, Who Grew Up a Lakers Fan, Struggled to Adjust in Boston

The veteran All-Star conceded he had trouble wrapping his head around his new NBA home.

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and center Al Horford (42) and guard Jrue Holiday (4) react in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Last summer, two-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday had to find a way to align his childhood loathing of the Boston Celtics as a fan with his new role of starting for the Boston Celtics as a player.

The six-time All-Defensive Teamer, 34, hails from the suburban San Fernando Valley. He was born in Chatsworth, went to high school in Studio City (also in the Valley) at Campbell Hall School, and played his lone NCAA season, 2008-09 at UCLA in Westwood. During that one-and-done collegiate run, Holiday was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team.

“I’m from L.A.,” Holiday told Conor Ryan of Boston.com. “I grew up a Lakers fan. So putting on the green was a bit weird for me, like on the first day. And then once I kind of got used to the green — we win the championship… Once I kind of just got acclimated to the city, and the fans — this [championship], it’s crazy. I feel like I keep on saying that, but there’s no word that can describe the feeling when you win that championship.”

Last year, Holiday also adjusted from his All-Star role with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was perhaps a bit miscast as the lead ballhandler, to become more of a supplemental playmaker alongside fellow All-Defensive Team guard Derrick White, plus All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Alongside newly-acquired another former All-Star, starting center Kristaps Porzingis, the group comprised perhaps the league's most formidable starting five. The team went 64-18 in the regular season, then absolutely obliterated the competition in the playoffs, going 16-3 en route to capturing Boston's record-breaking 18th title. In so doing, the Celtics broke out of their former tie for the most championships ever with the Lakers, Holiday's childhood heroes. Holiday followed that success up, much as he did for his first title with the Bucks in 2021, by winning an Olympic gold medal for Team USA. Unlike 2021, however, Holiday was joined by Lakers All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, returning for their first international action since 2012.

The Celtics are going to begin their title defense without Porzingis, potentially for several months into the season, as he recuperates from a June ankle surgery. The 7-foot-2 big man will most likely be spelled by his backup, former five-time All-Star Al Horford. Recently re-signed big man Xavier Tillman seems likely to move into the backup five spot.

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