Julian Edelman was born in Redwood City, California, less than a six-hour drive away from the city of Los Angeles and under three hours to the Golden State Bridge. However, even with his proximity to those iconic locations, Edelman made his home right near the East Coast, thanks to a legendary NFL career.
Born and brought up in California, Edelman was drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Soon after, he ushered in the second stand of the Patriots dynasty, winning three Super Bowls with them and making the New England area his home. Now, that loyalty extends beyond his football ties as well.
Julian Edelman Embraces Boston Celtics Despite Hometown Rivalry
The greatest rivalry in NBA history has been the one between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Spanning literal decades, the two teams were tied for most titles in NBA history at 17 up until last season, when the Celtics edged ahead of the Lakers with their 18th.
As a California native, it might seem like an obvious conclusion that Edelman sides with Los Angeles in the historic rivalry. But thanks to his time as a New England Patriot, whose home field, Foxborough Stadium, is just about half an hour away from Boston, Edelman’s loyalties are clear.
On Sunday, in a post uploaded on X (formerly Twitter), the former Super Bowl MVP had a simple message, “Banner 19 incoming,” accompanied by the iconic Celtics shamrock leaf. He added pictures of himself, one holding the Larry O’Brien trophy, one wearing a Boston hat, and the final one wearing what appeared to be a Kyrie Irving #11 jersey.
Banner 19 Loading… ☘️ pic.twitter.com/OHIcJT7suG
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) April 20, 2025
After spending 12 years with the franchise and in the city, his allegiances couldn’t be more crystal clear. And it’s not like he’s supporting a deadbeat horse in the race.
The Celtics are the defending champions, coming off a regular season where they won 61 games despite one of their key starters, Kristaps Porzingis, barely being available for 50 games. Entering the playoffs, they are unquestioned favorites and might be well on their way to repeating as Champions.
Add in the defensive and offensive versatility, combined with a proven track record and immeasurable playoff experience, and the recipe for virtually every Champion in league history is present in Bean Town.
Now, it’s going to be up to the team to show out and dominate in the playoffs to make Edelman’s prediction come true and make them the first team in more than half a decade to become back-to-back NBA Champions.