Celtics
Roger Goodell, Bill Laimbeer, Ulf Samuelsson, and Alex Rodriguez are also noteworthy Boston-area villains.
Asked about Kyrie Irving’s reputation in Boston, Joe Mazzulla responded with a question of his own.
“Aren’t we all in someone’s eyes? We’re all villains in someone’s eyes,” Mazzulla said on Friday.
Granted, Boston sports fandom has fixed its glare on more than just Irving over the years when it comes to the most reviled athletes to ever step foot on the parquet floor, Garden ice, Foxborough field, and plate at Fenway Park.
Irving has solidified his standing as the conduit of most Celtics’ fans collective fury over the last few seasons. But where exactly does the Mavericks guard rank among a loaded cast of Boston sports villains?
Ahead of Irving’s anticipated showdown against the Celtics in the NBA Finals, here’s a look at some of the top Boston sports villains of all time.
33. Wilt Chamberlain
Chamberlain will be one of several players on this list who might be better labeled as “adversaries” rather than outright “villains” in Boston sports.
Even though the 7-foot-1 center and prolific scorer never bested the Celtics with a title on the line, he had several battles against Bill Russell and Boston’s unequaled dynasty during the 1960s.
Chamberlain might have stuffed the stat sheet throughout his career, but you couldn’t beat Russell’s 11 titles in 13 seasons with Boston.
32. Sam Bennett
A relatively new addition to this list, Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk, and the rest of the Florida Panthers have made life miserable for the Bruins over the last few seasons.
The pugnacious Florida pivot scored five points over six games en route to the Panthers’ stunning first-round upset of a…