Washington Wizards Fans’ Loyalty Extends Beyond the Game

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 12: Bradley Beal #3 and John Wall #2 of the Washington Wizards high five each other during the game against the Boston Celtics during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on May 12, 2017 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Capital One Arena, home to the Washington Wizards, is welcoming to all NBA fans. The Boston Celtics’ TD Garden should also strive to be such a place.

As a Washington Wizards fan, I recently had a good-natured exchange with Celtics on CSN, via Twitter. It started off with me saying: “The Celtics want to be us, that’s why they got Marcus. Good luck with Kyrie and his 5.8 APG.”

I do believe that the Celtics got worse, after they traded Isaiah Thomas.

However, in one of my later comments, I thought I was interacting with a Celtics fan, but it was Celtics CSN. When the Celtics fans cited Boston’s many championships, I said: “We value people more over inanimate objects.”

Then Celtics CSN tweeted this response to my comment:

You, like us, have NOTHING to do with roster moves. Don't act like you wouldn't still be a Wiz fan if they traded John Wall
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) September 5, 2017

Thinking it was the Celtics fan that made the comment above, I responded:

"“Yes I would be a Wizards fan if they traded Wall. I’m from Mass and I was never a Celtics fan. Don’t presume to know me & don’t get personal”."

You can find the full exchange here.

I don’t know why Celtics-CSN took it to such a personal level, simply because I mentioned “inanimate objects”.

When I traveled to Boston, I knew what I was getting myself into – as a black woman going to the Garden by myself, wearing a Wizards jersey.

But for Celtics-CSN to be so presumptuous to believe, that I wouldn’t still rock the red if Wall left, is beyond the pale. Fickle loyalty is not in my vocabulary.

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I grew up in Massachusetts, as the only black girl in an all-white blue-collar town. It was far from Boston. I didn’t write about my full-fan experience about Game 5 of the playoffs at TD Garden, because I didn’t want to dissuade other African-Americans from attending. Because there appeared to be more black people on the court, than in the stands.

But to fully answer Celtics CSN – I would still be a Wizards fan. Because the Wizards organization created a fan experience that welcomes all NBA fans, no matter what team they’re rooting for, their race or nationality.

I still won’t tell the full story about my Game 5 experience, because I believe the Celtics organization is trying to make the Garden a better place. But they have to do better.