Burning jerseys after a player leaves a team in free agency is one of the dumbest things that has become popular for sports fans. It’s made even dumber when fans burn jerseys of players that are traded away and had no input into the matter.
That happened this week in Boston when a few Celtics fans decided to set their Isaiah Thomas jerseys on fire after he was dealt to the Cavs for Kyrie Irving for reasons that can’t be understood by a rational person.
https://twitter.com/kylegordon28/status/900146707295596544
Thomas was the heart and soul of the Celtics team that earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season. He battled through a hip injury that eventually sidelined him in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and, somehow, found the strength to play in the immediate aftermath of his sister’s tragic death during the playoffs.
There is no reason any Celtics fans should have any ill will towards a player that outperformed his contract by leaps and bounds and turned himself into an All-NBA talent in Boston, and yet, there they were, lighting his jersey on fire. LeBron James, whose departure from Cleveland to Miami saw Cavs fans popularize the jersey burning trend, ripped into Celtics fans for the lack of respect shown to Thomas for everything he’d done for Boston and Jazz fans for burning Gordon Hayward’s jerseys in a lengthy Twitter rant.
The burning of the jersey thing is getting ridiculous now! The man was traded. What do u not understand? & played in a game after …..
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 24, 2017
sister tragic death. Gordon Hayward paid he's dues as well and decided to do what's best for him and family. Put in the work, got better….
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 24, 2017
Became an All-Star, etc!! If these guys weren't good, u guys would be the first to say "get them up out of here". Man beat it! When "we"….
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 24, 2017
decide to do what best for us it's "cowardly" "traitor", etc but when it's on the other side it's "business" huh!?!? Ooh ok. Man do…..
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 24, 2017
what u feel is best for your profession, love, family, happiness and continue to #StriveForGreatness🚀 #Salute
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 24, 2017
James’ feelings align with many others on the issue. Thomas’ teammate and one of the Celtics’ promising young talents Jaylen Brown called the entire thing “pathetic” on Twitter.
This is pathetic https://t.co/ldJ4Mypd0q
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) August 24, 2017
Thomas had given Boston incredible value on the court and was among those that pushed hardest for free agents this summer, including Gordon Hayward who the Celtics were successful in landing. Other NBA stars around the league reacted in similar ways to the videos.
Na. They not burning my guy I.T jersey. Na. No way
— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) August 24, 2017
Naw man they burning a dude jersey that got traded and played a day after his sister died. This world off
— James White (@Flight8) August 24, 2017
This Absolutely Disgust Me…. https://t.co/1qgAY3ulVV
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) August 23, 2017
It’s important to note that those burning jerseys don’t represent the vastmajority of Celtics fans, but it certainly isn’t a good look. For Brown, it’s a bit of a “welcome to the NBA” moment, as he now sees the darker side of sports fans and how some are quick to turn against you.
