Press Conference

Taylor Snow

BOSTON – Jrue Holiday was somewhat in limbo in the few days following his Sept. 27 trade from Milwaukee as part of the Damian Lillard blockbuster trade package. The All-Star point guard knew his stay in Portland would be brief and he was likely to be shipped off again before the start of the 2023-24 season.

In the meantime, Holiday began envisioning possible destinations. There was one potential landing spot which, in his mind, stood above all others: Boston.

Holiday remained cautiously optimistic that he’d wind up with the Celtics, and after four long days of waiting, his wish was granted. In a deal that rocked the NBA world, Holiday was traded to the Celtics on Oct. 1 in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Rob Williams, and two future first-round draft picks.

“I had hopes of being here,” Holiday emphasized Wednesday afternoon at an introductory press conference following his first practice with the C’s. “Sometimes you don't want to get your hopes up, just because you can get your heart broken that way. But once I ended up getting traded here, that's what I was committed to.”

Holiday is committed to being a Celtic because he’s committed to success.

“I feel like coming here is definitely my best chance of winning,” he stated.

As the 33-year-old is well aware, winning is exactly what Boston sports culture is based around.

Holiday understands how close the Celtics have come in the past several seasons. They’ve made five conference finals appearances in the last seven years. They’ve been to the Finals, where they held a 2-1 lead before falling. Just months ago, they nearly pulled off the first 0-3 series comeback in NBA history, only to come up short.

His hope is to finally help bring an end to those days of coming up short and lift them to glory.

“I’m here to really just help step up that game and become a champion,” said the five-time All-Defense selectee.

Become a champion again, that is. Holiday is not too far removed from winning a title with the Bucks in 2021, which makes him the only current member of the Celtics roster who has lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy. That means he’s the only one who knows exactly what it takes to win a championship, and he plans to impart such wisdom around the locker room.

“It’s harder than everything you’ve ever done before,” he said of the championship journey. “You’re going to be tired, exhausted, but it’s about who has the mental toughness, who can play through and make plays, obviously at the end of games in the series, and who’s the most connected. The team that wants it the most will go after it and get it.”

From watching practice Tuesday and participating in practice Wednesday, Holiday can tell that this Celtics team truly wants it.

“I think watching them first, you could tell some of the chemistry that guys already had and the bonds that they had, which was really cool,” Holiday said. “You could tell that they were hungry and really about the things that maybe didn’t work last year, but making them better this year. That’s just from watching. And then going out and actually playing with them, because I’ve played against them for so long, it felt great. It felt great to get out there and compete. We know that our best players are the most competitive ones and they’re kind of leading the charge. [Jayson Tatum] and [Jaylen Brown] were out there after people defensively and I know how it can be, being a two-way player. But I think for us to be a great team, obviously, those two are going to carry us along a lot of the way.”

As for Holiday’s role, head coach Joe Mazzulla wants him to be a jack-of-all-trades. And the head coach doesn’t want him to hold back whatsoever.

“If you guys know Joe at all, he'll be super honest with you, upfront, to the point. I love that from him and from the beginning, he's told me my role is to do everything,” relayed Holiday, who last season averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. “Do everything, be all over the floor defensively, be able to control situations offensively – situations to calm us down and get good shots toward the end of games. But I think when it comes down to it, it's about winning. It's about keeping this culture of winning and Joe's a part of that and the way he's communicated with me has been awesome.”

Holiday also appreciates the culture of the city he’s moving into – even as a Los Angeles native who grew up rooting for the team that shall not be named.

“I know a lot of my family is probably hurt,” he joked of his Purple and Gold roots. “But this is a blue-collar town. They like people who work hard, and they put their heart into it. That’s just the type of person I am. Every time I step onto the court, I give my everything.”

Holiday lived up to that claim during the first day of practice. According to a half-joking Brad Stevens, the veteran point guard was so physical with assistant coach Phil Pressey during drills, that Holiday “almost made him quit coaching when he was guarding him.”

To land Holiday at the 11th hour before the start of the season is a dream come true for the Celtics, one that Stevens can’t stop smiling about: "We've wanted him here for a long time." This team has been trying to get over the hump for a while now, and adding a star player with a winning resume enhances their chances tremendously.

It’s a dream come true for Holiday, too. He’s in an environment where he can both play his game and elevate others around him. He's in a sports city that lives and breathes a winning mindset, which is exactly what he’s all about.

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Holiday: Coming to Boston ‘Is Definitely My Best Chance of Winning’

BOSTON – Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari seemed to be perfect offseason additions, in the eyes of Brad Stevens, for a Celtics team that just finished two wins shy of an NBA championship.

Spending the past 24 hours getting to know his newest acquisitions only strengthened the Celtics President of Basketball Operations’ belief in the veteran duo.

“It’s really clear how good of a fit both of these guys are,” Stevens said Tuesday morning while sitting to the left of Brogdon and Gallinari during an introductory press conference at the Auerbach Center in Brighton.

For one, they both fill needs that had become apparent during Boston’s Finals run. Stevens said he wanted to add playmaking and scoring off the bench, and that’s exactly what he’ll get in these two.

Brogdon boasts career averages of 15.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in his six NBA seasons as a combo guard, and Gallinari has averaged 15.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game over a 14-year career, during which he has established himself as one of the most prolific long-range shooters of all time at the power forward position.

Those on-court aspects are obvious when it comes to fit, but what assured Stevens even more over the past day or so was how they expressed their collective mindset as competitors who only care about winning at this point in their respective careers.

“For me, at this stage of my career when you think about basketball, you think about winning, getting that ring, and it’s a constant, constant thought that I have every day,” said Gallinari. “It’s that time for me. It’s always been about winning for me even when I was younger, it was always about winning. Especially right now when you get at this stage where you’re 33 about to be 34, it’s what you want and it’s something that you work for every day.”

Although Brogdon has only played in the NBA for less than half as many years as Gallinari, his hunger is just as strong.

“I’m in my prime, I’m 29 years old,” explained Brogdon, who was aquired Saturday in a trade with the Indiana Pacers. “I experienced winning at a high level in Milwaukee my first three years, went to Indiana, had a solid season and then two rough seasons (winning-wise). So this is everything I’ve wanted: to be able to get back to this level, to be able to compete with guys that want to win a championship and that are all in, that want to sacrifice to win. So it’s very fortuitous for me to be here and I think it’s the perfect time for me.”

It's also perfect considering their ties to the Celtics, both being raised by families that were supporters of Boston’s basketball team.

Brogdon’s late grandfather was a diehard Celtics fan, supporting them all the way back to their glory days.

“He was the biggest Bill Russell fan, was the biggest (Red) Auerbach fan, and loved the Boston Celtics,” said the former Rookie of the Year. “So to be able to play here is definitely a blessing for me. I've told everybody I've met in the organization that it's an honor to put on his jersey, it's a privilege. The most historic, successful, high-reaching organization in the league, so I'm extremely excited to be here.”

Gallinari was just as excited to join the C’s via free agency after idolizing Larry Bird while growing up in Italy.

“I grew up with my dad since I was a little kid being a Celtics fan, being a Larry Bird fan,” Gallinari said. “When the Celtics came on the table it was almost like a no-brainer. You walk even in this facility, you look around and see what’s going on around the banners and the history and everything the Celtics were about, it was an easy choice.”

Both Gallinari and Brogdon felt it was an easy choice regardless of whether or not they’ll be starting or coming off the bench because, at this stage of their respective careers, they’ll do anything to win.

“I want to come here and sacrifice to win,” said Brogdon. “On a great team, everybody sacrifices to win. (Jayson) Tatum, (Jaylen) Brown, all of us have to take things off our plate and sacrifice a few things.

“So for me, I think Gallinari too, we're trying to add. We're not trying to take away. This team already has something special, they've made it to the Finals, and they already have a recipe. And I want to add to that recipe, not disrupt it. Whatever this team needs from me, whatever Ime (Udoka) needs from me, whatever my teammates need for me, that's what I’m gonna do.”

That’s what’s called a championship mindset. Both Brogdon and Gallinari have it, and it’s all part of the reason that makes them perfect fits for this title-contending Celtics team.

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Longtime Celtics Admirers Brogdon, Gallinari Eager to Add to Tradition

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Ime Udoka 2022 NBA Draft Press Conference | Celtics Draft presented by Putnam

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4/2 Robert Williams Media Availability

Ime Udoka has been hired to be the new head coach for the Boston Celtics, though the term “new” is subjective considering the relationships he has built over the years with several of its core players.

Even though the 43-year-old is just stepping into an NBA head-coaching role for the first time, more than one-third of Boston’s active roster has already played under him in some capacity in the past.

Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum all played for Udoka during the 2019 FIBA World Cup when Udoka, a longtime Spurs assistant, was serving on Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich’s staff. He had also previously coached Smart on the USA Select Team in 2016, for which C’s forward Jabari Parker also played. More recently, Udoka coached Al Horford, whose lone season in Philadelphia happened to coincide with Udoka’s 2019-20 stint on Brett Brown’s coaching staff. On top of all of that, he has also known fellow Oregonian Payton Pritchard since the second-year point guard was a young kid.

Being familiar with the majority of Boston’s core players is one of the many reasons why Udoka believes that his new partnership with the Celtics is a match made in heaven.

During his introductory press conference at the Auerbach Center Monday morning, Udoka explained how he’s already hitting it off with his “new” group. And judging by his comments, he’s also gained their respect.

“We’ve all talked already - they’re excited,” said Udoka, who played 13 years professionally and has been an NBA coach since 2012. “I thanked them for the kind words they’ve said about me, pushing me. It was a natural bond … Just a natural connection with those guys that I had. They’re going to allow me to coach them, push them. They know I’m going to be on their ass, and that’s what they like about me. They want to be pushed, they want to be directed towards winning.”

As the man who will be doing the directing, Udoka hopes to be a player-oriented coach who can get the most out of everyone on the roster. “They all have different personality traits,” he explained. And it’s his job to find out what coaching style benefits each of them.

“It’s all relationship-based,” Udoka said of his coaching philosophy. “We have to build that foundation off the court somewhat. Also, understand that you can’t coach everybody the same way. What motivates others might embarrass others. So you find that balance there. But it comes down to trust, respect, and being in alignment with our goals. And I think the players, it comes down to their character ultimately also, the way they want to be pushed and taking constructive criticism. And I think we have a group that has done that so far in the times I’ve been with them, and I think just in our conversations lately, they are looking forward to that.”

Udoka’s ability to connect with players beyond just the X’s and O’s of the game is one of the many reasons why Popovich had him on his Spurs staff for seven seasons.

"He exudes a confidence and a comfort in his own skin where people just gravitate to him," Popovich said in a 2015 ESPN article. "He's a fundamentally sound teacher because he's comfortable with himself, he knows the material and players read it. Oftentimes I'll say, 'Ime, can you go talk to so-and-so? Go talk to Patty Mills, go talk to Timmy (Duncan), go talk to Kawhi (Leonard).' And he'll do it better than I would do it.”

Having such an ability to connect with players outside of the game is what stood out most to Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens during an extended search for his head-coaching successor.

"He has a great basketball acumen, a great understanding, but that’s, to me, something a lot of people have,” Stevens said. “It’s his authenticity, his ability to be tough and yet very warm, and it’s his experience. Not only the experience of playing but being 8 through 15 on the roster a lot, and then being in San Antonio all those years, and then the last two years seeing totally different things up close in Philly and Brooklyn is a great thing.”

Even prior to his coaching career, Udoka gave off such an impression throughout his seven years as an NBA journeyman. In the midst of grinding away for minutes, the 6-foot-6 wing went out of his way to connect with his peers, which made him stand out in a unique way.

“Whether I was a role player on a team, I always connected well with the guys,” Udoka recollected. “When I was with the Knicks, Isiah Thomas was probably the first coach to mention that I would be a coach one day. He said you connect with the young guys. You're not a 25-point scorer, but they relate to you well, and you push them in the right way. So I took that into my coaching career, not just relationship-wise as a player but as a coach.”

One example of his pushing of players was how he helped to shape Leonard into an NBA champion and Finals MVP by the age of 22. Now, he hopes to do the same for a couple of other young stars in Brown and Tatum.

“Talking to Kawhi Leonard as a young guy, I used to tell him, 'Why wait? What are you waiting for? These guys, don't give them too much respect.' And I'd say the same thing to Jayson and Jaylen," he stated. "The sky's the limit. The fact that you're not All-NBA (this past season), that should be a chip on your shoulder. You should play with that edge and want to prove people wrong. But my message to them would be, 'Why wait?'”

As for the wait for Banner 18, Boston’s 18th head coach hopes it won’t last much longer, as he will do his part by pushing his players and getting the best out of them every day.

For Udoka, that process has already begun with the relationships he has established with his players and the respect that he has gained from them in the process.

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Coach Udoka Already Has Bonds Established With Celtics’ Core

BOSTON – Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard are not wasting any time acclimating themselves to the NBA lifestyle. Despite being only six days removed from the 2020 Draft, the newest members of the Boston Celtics are already settling into their new city, where they've begun working out and gearing up for a new season and a new way of life.

“It’s definitely been an exciting time,” Pritchard, the 26th overall pick out of Oregon, said Tuesday afternoon during an introductory press conference for both himself and Nesmith, his fellow rookie teammate. “I’ve been starting workouts and getting going, but just trying to be a sponge and soak everything up and get ready for the season. Obviously it’s starting really quickly, so just trying to learn fast and get going.”

Nesmith and Pritchard, along with the entire 2020 rookie class, are in for a challenge this season in that they are being thrown straight into the ocean before getting their feet wet. Rather than having several months to absorb a new system and develop chemistry with their new teammates as is typically the case, this year’s class only has a few weeks to prepare for the 2020-21 season.

“That’s why we’re here right now,” said Nesmith, the 14th overall pick out of Vanderbilt. “To kind of get ahead of the curve, try and soak in all that we can and try to make this a fluid transition as fast as possible. It’s going to be a big jump for both of us going in. We didn’t get summer league, so we didn’t get to get our feet wet. Being able to compete with [the veterans] right now and learn from these guys right now, will be a huge advantage for us.”

Pritchard and Nesmith are both trying not to overthink their transition from college into the pros, as they are looking to bring the same type of energy and work ethic that has paved their successful paths thus far.

Pritchard is the type of player with whom Celtics fans will fall in love: a scrappy, hard worker who can contribute in many ways (he is the only player in Pac 12 history to tally at least 1,900 points, 500 rebounds and 600 assists.)

Nesmith, meanwhile, has the potential to turn into the lethal sharpshooter specialist that the Celtics have been needing of late. Last season at Vanderbilt, he averaged 23.0 points per game while shooting a school-record 52.2 percent from 3-point range. And he believes that he’ll have no issue carrying such a skill over to the NBA level.

“For me, nothing changes,” Nesmith elaborated. “My warm-up doesn’t change, my form doesn’t change, my footwork doesn’t change. So as long as I continue to work on those things, continue to perfect those attributes to my game, there’s no reason for my shot not to translate from one level to the next.”

Of course, there will be other elements that Nesmith and Pritchard will have to grow accustomed to as quickly as possible, but they are both excited to face whatever challenges await.

“It’s going to be a quick learning curve,” Pritchard stated. “I think we’re both looking forward to it, getting to jump in and get right to it. During this quarantine, we’ve both been training hard and getting ready anyway, so it’ll be nice to get right through training camp and start the season.”

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Holiday: Coming to Boston ‘Is Definitely My Best Chance of Winning’

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