BOSTON -- Enes Kanter has not minced words when it comes to voicing his opposition to the Turkish government and their president Tayyip Erdoğan.

And judging by the arrest warrant the Turkish government has issued for him, a wild cross-country chase by the government for Kanter in 2017, which included Turkey canceling Kanter’s passport, the level of disdain between the two is mutual. 

But all those events occurred outside the United States, which makes the incident involving Kanter and two Turkish-speaking men after he left a local mosque after praying on Friday, “crazy and scary.”

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Accompanied by teammate and fellow Muslim Tacko Fall, Kanter was approached and harassed at a mosque near the team’s practice facility on Friday. 

Kanter tweeted a video of the incident:

“It’s the first time [it] happened in America,” Kanter said. “It was definitely scary. I was looking at Tacko; I  said, ‘Tacko, don’t worry, I got you. We’re good. We’re fine.’ We were just waiting for our Uber. It was crazy and scary.”

Danny Ainge, the Celtics' president of basketball operations, said he was on an email chain with team security discussing the incident. 

On Saturday, Ainge said he had not had a chance to talk with Kanter directly about what happened. 

“But he has been talked to by our staff and our people,” Ainge said. “There will be more communication going on with that.”

Soon after the video detailing the event went viral, Kanter said he received calls from teammates, coaches as well as local and state officials who have closely monitored the goings-on between Kanter and his home country since he became a Celtic. 

Massachusetts Sen. Edward Markey, who met with Kanter this past summer, expressed his outrage over the incident.

“It definitely means a lot to see a lot of support from the Boston people,” Kanter said. 

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As far as his safety is concerned, Kanter said he feels safe, but acknowledged he has been in contact with the FBI and other law enforcement officials related to the incident. 

In addition to increased awareness on the part of law enforcement officials, Kanter anticipates having added security - possibly around-the-clock protection - in the near future. 

“I’m used to this,” Kanter said. “I’ve been getting threats like this the last six, seven years. I’m used to living this way. But in America, it shouldn’t be this way.”

And while Kanter has grown accustomed to dealing with such incidents internationally, he seemed particularly bothered by what happened Friday due to it happening here in the United States as well as with Celtics rookie Tacko Fall next to him. 

“It’s just sad,” Kanter said. “Next to me there was a rookie, Tacko, and he felt very uncomfortable.”

And while the incident occurred here in Boston, Kanter was emphatic in not drawing any connections between the Turkish-speaking men who approached him at the mosque, and Bostonians. 

“It’s not about Boston. It’s about Turkish people. I would never blame Boston or people in Boston,” Kanter said. “I blame the Turkish people and the Turkish government.”

• The dangers of defending Tacko Fall>>>

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BOSTON -- When what by most accounts was disastrous 2018-2019 season for the Boston Celtics finally came to an end, Terry Rozier did not hold back in voicing his opinion on why things so wrong.  

So it was no surprise that when the dust finally settled on his future, it would be with another team, the Charlotte Hornets. 

Rozier returns to the TD Garden for the first time as a member of a team besides the Celtics. 

And while things certainly didn’t end the way anyone involved would have wanted, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens still looks back fondly on his time as Rozier’s head coach. 

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“Terry and I spent a few discussions last year where obviously, he was frustrated,” Stevens said. “I don’t think he ever let it affect how he came out and worked and competed. I thought that was always something I appreciated about him.”

After Rozier came to terms on a three-year, $56.7 million sign-and-trade deal with Charlotte, Stevens was among the first to reach out to Rozier and congratulate him on the deal. 

“It was fun to text back and forth and see his reaction,” Stevens recalled. “I was excited for him. He was such a fun person to be around and coach in his young years in the NBA. He’s going to be a really good player for a long time.”

There were quite a few “Good Terry” moments in Boston, like his strong 2018 postseason run in which he averaged 16.5 points, 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds while playing 36.6 minutes per game. That postseason run included a 26-point, nine assists, six-rebound performance in Boston’s Game 7 first-round win over the Milwaukee Bucks. 

And there were some forgettable moments as well, with none being any worse than his 2-for-14 shooting performance in Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference finals which was easily the worst playoff performance of his career. 

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But on Sunday, he returns with a new team, a new contract and a new target - the Celtics - as part of the perpetual chip that he always plays with. 

And his ex-teammates can’t wait to see him. 

“It’s going to be a great game, exciting game, to see my brother,” Boston’s Robert Williams III told NBC Sports Boston.

Indeed, Rozier’s now-former teammates still see him as part of the family even if he’s playing for another team. 

“We’re always going to have that connection,” Williams III said. “Teams change, but the brotherhood doesn’t.”

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BOSTON — One season after absurdly high expectations contributed to the derailment of his team’s season, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge wasn’t biting when asked to assess his team’s ability against the landscape of a new-look NBA.

“I know you guys like to make the prognostications, which I don’t like to do,” said Ainge. "I like to wait and see. I’m optimistic. I’m hopeful for guys stepping up and exceeding expectations, instead of making high expectations.”

What Ainge would relent is that, a year after Boston failed to get all its individual talent to play consistent team basketball, that the issue this season would simply be if players make the strides necessary to contend with the NBA elite.

• Enes Kanter: Incident at mosque was "scary and crazy"

"I think that last year’s questions were more based on how is it going to jell? There was not a question of how much talent we had,” said Ainge. "This year, the question is, are we good enough? And can players step up and take advantage of the opportunities that they’re given to become more elite?”

Ainge said he’s encouraged by what he’s seen in training camp and believes that the effort expended by the players up and down the roster this summer suggests that this team is eager to outkick the tempered expectations heaped upon them.

A handful of other key takeaways from Ainge’s preseason state of the union before the Celtics’ open practice Saturday at new-look TD Garden:

AINGE CAN’T STOP THE HAYWARD HYPE TRAIN
Ainge, who might have steered the Gordon Hayward hype train out of the station back in June, tried to reign things in a bit — though he ultimately admitted that Hayward might just be back to his pre-injury self.

"I think, right now, there’s been a lot of buzz about Gordon and his comeback and I’m worried that it’s getting a little out of hand,” said Ainge. "Like, I think he’s Gordon. He’s back to being Gordon. And we’re very excited about that. I sometimes worry, like, ‘Oh my gosh, they think it’s somebody else.’

"But I’m excited about Gordon. I’m excited about Kemba. Jaylen and Jayson had really good summers. They’ve looked really good in training camp. Obviously they have a great comfort level with the system. And Marcus [Smart]. So, we know who all of those guys are. I think there are lots of questions in lots of other places on the roster.”

Second-year big man Robert Williams didn’t do anything to slow the hype when asked about how Hayward.

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"He’s just hungry, man,” said Williams. "I can put it simple as that, he’s just hungry. I was in Boston most of the summer. I got up at 9 or 9:30 to work out and Gordon would be walking out. So, he was in there every day, all day. I can say that I saw that. I’m saying that it also helped instill a work ethic in me. But Gordon, you know he’s hungry. He’s trying to get what he deserves.”

Asked if Hayward had found his old explosion, Williams added, "He just got it back man,” said Williams. "Yeah, he back.”

CONFIDENCE IN BRAD
Echoing a common sentiment since last season, Ainge went to bat for his coach again entering the new season.

"I don’t know if [last season] was his first disappointing season, but maybe the toughest overall,” said Ainge. "If 49 wins is the worst season in your coaching career, you’re probably going to be OK. But Brad just keeps getting better. These experiences, he’s a young coach, works harder than anybody, very bright. I have all the confidence in the world that last year was a learning experience for him, just like all of our young players. 

"Like I said many many times before and I’ll continue to say, he’s the least of our worries. He’s prepared, and I think these experiences are going to make him a great coach.”

THE BIG MAN ISSUE
Ainge admitted that one of Boston’s biggest areas of concern is a new-look frontcourt that must fill the shoes of departed players like Al Horford and Aron Baynes.

There’s a lot of optimism around Williams as one of the players that might be able to step forward.

"Most of [the bigs] are new,” said Ainge. "I think Daniel [Theis] has the most experience of that group of guys with our group. I think he’s got a little bit of a head start, just mentally and emotionally and understanding what Brad wants. I think I can see some of the new-ness of the other guys. 

"I think Robert has taken big strides from last year to where he’s at. I think his work this summer, you can see it already. So that’s an advantage for him. Those are question marks that I’m not sure how good it’s all going to fit and work but I think, individually, they all can contribute."

DANNY DOESN’T FEEL PRESSURE
The Celtics were the darlings of the NBA before last season, seemingly positioned for a long run as a legitimate title contender and considered the biggest threat to the still-intact Warriors.

Now? They’re regarded as a second-tier team in the East and the long-term outlook is murkier. Still, Ainge doesn’t feel pressure despite the 11 years that have passed since the Celtics’ last title in a win-now market.

 “I feel more pressure over an 8-foot putt on the 18th hole for a $5 Nassau right now,” said Ainge. "I think that, listen, the championship standard in Boston is well-documented. And we all know that. And that’s what we love about this. And we love the success of the other teams [in Boston]. And we love the success of the Boston Celtics and what they’ve done, and the people who have played here and been in uniforms here in our history. And so, I think that that feeling of high expectations is always good for us.”

• The dangers of defending Tacko Fall>>>

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