Kyrie Irving says he hopes his playoff return to Boston doesn't include 'subtle racism'

• Kyrie Irving said he hopes not to encounter "subtle racism" in his return to Boston.
• Irving said "the whole world knows" there is racism in Boston sports.
• Pro athletes for decades have complained about encountering racism while playing in Boston.

As Kyrie Irving prepares to return to Boston with the Brooklyn Nets, he hopes he doesn't encounter "subtle racism" from the Boston crowd.

The Nets hold a 2-0 series lead over the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Game 3 in Boston will be Irving's first postseason game in Boston since the Celtics burned out of the playoffs in the second round in 2019.

"I am just looking forward to competing with my teammates, and hopefully, we can just keep it strictly basketball, there's no belligerence or racism going on - subtle racism," Irving told reporters on Tuesday. "People yelling s--- from the crowd.

"But even if it is, it's part of the nature of the game, and we're just going to focus on what we can control."

Pro athletes have complained about encountering racism while in Boston. Celtics great Bill Russell once called Boston "a flea market of racism" in his 1979 memoir. He said he felt conflicted about playing in front of fans who then cheered him on.

In 2017, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said he was called the N-word during a game at Fenway Park.

Former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia had said while he hadn't been called the N-word, he and other players expected to encounter racism from Boston crowds.

According to ESPN's Malika Andrews, during Irving's media session on Zoom, someone off-camera said, "The whole world knows it."

Irving responded, "The whole world knows it."

Irving has played in Boston since leaving the Celtics, but never in a playoff atmosphere. He has a divisive relationship with Celtics fans. At a season-ticket-holders event in 2018, Irving had said he planned to re-sign with the Celtics. However, the Celtics season went off the rails, and Irving left in free agency to join the Nets.