Paul George said his primary goal with the Boston Celtics this season is to stay healthy, be available and show that he can still perform at the level he has throughout his career.
Speaking during Celtics media day on Monday, September 28, George discussed his transition into a veteran leadership role, his excitement about joining Boston and his expectations for his first season with the organization.
George said becoming a veteran has changed how he approaches younger players who grew up watching him.
“As you get older in this league, it’s kind of a weird cycle where you come in as a young guy and you throw on this shield to go against your idols,” George said. “And then when you get older and you become the veteran and the older guy, and I feel the more and more of the guys that have appreciated what I’ve done over my career, that have taken a liking to my game, the more I’ve leaned into that of helping them become better versions of what I am.”
He specifically mentioned Jayson Tatum and Brandon Miller as players he has tried to help, adding that his experiences throughout his career give him an opportunity to help the next generation.
George also said he has felt comfortable taking on a leadership role in Boston after receiving support from Tatum and head coach Joe Mazzulla.
“Joe’s done a great job. JT’s done a great job of allowing me to be me and just coming into this as myself and just fit right in with the group,” George said. “So I’ve been more than comfortable since day one coming in.”
The 36-year-old forward also reflected on joining the Celtics after growing up in the Los Angeles area as a Lakers and Clippers fan.
“Boston Celtics is cream of the crop,” George said. “So to have this opportunity is amazing. Obviously since I’ve been here, it’s one of those things where, man, I wish I was here a lot sooner.”
George said the environment in Boston has made the move especially rewarding and believes the timing of the opportunity is right for the next stage of his career.
He also addressed criticism surrounding his recent injury history. George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 37 games for the Philadelphia 76ers last season while dealing with injuries.
“The fact of the matter was, I wasn’t healthy,” George said. “I was trying to play through injuries and be available and give everything that I had to the team when I probably should have took a little more time off to kind of let my body fully heal.”
Rather than focusing on proving his critics wrong with a particular statistical target, George said his priorities are availability, efficiency and consistency.
“I think it’s more so about being available, being efficient, being consistent,” George said. “I feel like my body is back healthy. I feel I’m capable of doing those things again.”
George also discussed his experience playing alongside Kawhi Leonard with the Los Angeles Clippers and how that relationship could help him complement Tatum in Boston.
“I learned so much just from playing off of him and knowing that it doesn’t have to be one guy has to carry the whole load,” George said. “I’m only here to try to make that job easy for him.”
George believes his experience sharing the spotlight with another star can help him support Tatum while still contributing at a high level.
“When healthy, I’m able to do what I’ve done in my career,” George said. “I don’t judge it off of what I’ve done while being injured. It’s two different tales.”
George averaged 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists over his 16-year NBA career entering the 2026-27 season, while earning eight All-Star selections and six All-NBA honors.
