Paul George says he once despised Celtics, now wishes he’d gotten there sooner

Paul George never imagined himself wearing Celtics green. Actually, he used to hate it.

George grew up in California as a Kobe Bryant fan, which naturally meant Boston wasn’t particularly high on his list of favorite places.

“I think as a kid you kind of despised green,” George said, via Khari A. Thompson of Boston.com.

Funny how things work out. George landed with the Celtics in the blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia. Now he’s talking about Boston considerably differently.

“Since I’ve been here it’s been nothing but happiness and greatness,” George said. “ … I wish I was here a lot sooner.”

There’s still the matter of proving he can play. George has missed at least half of the regular season in each of the past two years, and he’s heard the suggestion that at 36 he’s washed. He disagrees.

“I’m still capable of doing those things and I feel like my body is back healthy,” George said.

Boston doesn’t need the old franchise-player version of George every night. Jayson Tatum is here for that.

The Celtics need George healthy, efficient and available. And apparently they’ve already accomplished something nobody would’ve imagined years ago. They got a Kobe fan to like green.