“I Hate Interviews”: Paul George Addresses ‘Bored’ Comment After America’s Brutal Clap Back Over Viral Moment

Paul George didn’t hold back after the 76ers’ loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, Jan. 10. “To be honest, I’m bored.” The veteran admitted to the media. And just like that, the NBA world couldn’t stop talking. With Joel Embiid sidelined, the team forced PG to play the five, and he didn’t exactly love it.

But it wasn’t the position that bothered him—it was the style of play. He loves the grind, the hustle, the chase. Fighting through screens, scrapping for every inch. Philly fans, though? They weren’t amused. The backlash came fast, and soon enough, George found himself clearing the air.

Speaking on Podcast P with Paul George, the Philadelphia 76ers’ forward took his time to clarify the misunderstandings. Well, Andre Drummond did trigger the conversation, and PG might be glad that his teammate did it. “I hate doing interviews because they’re gonna blow stuff out of proportion and make it something that it’s not,” the 34-year-old harshly commented.

“Bro, all I’m saying is, like, we got Caleb Martin. We got Kelly Oubre. Those are our younger defensive players,” Paul George added. “I don’t have to take those matchups every night because we have great defensive players. So, for me, I get to be a roamer, you know what I mean? Some situations cause me to kind of be the plug and, you know, conserve energy.” So what George means to say is, their team already has great talent in the back-court. This means he prefers playing as a wing, a role he’s dominated for most of his 15-year NBA career. He has thrived in that position, earning nine All-Star nods and four NBA All-Defensive Team selections.

He further added, or rather repeated, his stance: “A lot of times I like to be active. I like chasing dudes and fighting over screens. I like picking up and, you know, hassling the ball handlers. That’s what made me who I am, you know what I mean? So that part is kind of missing sometimes throughout a game because that’s been my identity.”

The superstar forward’s change in role resulted out of Joel Embiid’s absence for the 23rd time this season. Thus 76ers HC, Nick Nurse went around being a bit too creative with his lineup. Unfortunately, it didn’t help despite PG’s 25-point and 11 rebounds game as Philly fell flat 115-123 against the Pelicans. However, things did not sit well with most of the NBA fans, precisely Bill Simmons, who took his own sweet time to bash Paul George on his podcast, The Bill Simmons Show.

Critics blasted Paul George for his honest ‘bored’ comment

The 76ers’ season is spiraling, and Bill Simmons has some thoughts on who’s to blame. Philly had big dreams after handing Paul George a massive four-year, $211 million deal. But dreams don’t always come true. Injuries, bad form, and a crushing OT loss to the Knicks have them sitting at a rough 15-24. And George? He’s putting up just 17.2 points a night—his lowest since 2014. Filling in for the injured Joel Embiid at center, he admits that boredom has set in. Not exactly the energy Philly was hoping for.

Thus, Ringer founder Bill Simmons questioned PG’s commitment to win under any circumstances. “I didn’t like that he complained about playing the five when Embiid’s out. That he said ‘This is just not that fun for me.’ Uhm, you’re trying to win games,” Simmons commented. “You’re 15-24. Maybe do whatever it can take to make the team better?” He further cited that Paul George might be the worst trade asset in the NBA given his expensive deal.

Meanwhile, the fans filled social media with comments like: “I actually was too nice to this guy when we signed him.” Another fan noted: “Most unserious player of all time.” And a third said: “I understand the context in which Paul George said this, but to say you’re “bored” after a loss to the 8-31 Pelicans isn’t ideal.” It isn’t the ideal situation, the veteran forward is looking for. But well, maybe his clarifications could help him clear the clouds of doubt.

With a 15-26 record, the Philadelphia 76ers, are 11th in the Eastern Conference. They are far from their playoff dream, let alone winning the championship this season. Moreover, the repeated absence of Paul George and Joel Embiid from the court is creating a void that no one is filling. The team is in a tumultuous situation now and who knows what’s next for them.