WASHINGTON — The White House was painted green Thursday as President Joe Biden — Secret Service codename: Celtic — welcomed “Coach Joe” Mazzulla and the Boston Celtics to the South Lawn to celebrate the franchise’s unprecedented 18th NBA championship.
In a tradition believed to have begun when Bill Russell’s 1963 Celtics met with President John F. Kennedy, Biden welcomed the 2024 NBA champions and gave them a tour of the Oval Office. In all, the league’s most decorated franchise has won at least one title in eight of the last 13 presidential administrations.
“The Celtics are not just a basketball team. They’re a way of life,” Biden told the crowd, quoting Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach, before receiving the No. 46 jersey from All-Star Jayson Tatum and guard Derrick White.
Biden revealed that his Secret Service code name is “Celtic.”
“Really. Because I’m Irish,” said the president. “Everyone behind me is Irish at heart. I feel special pride in this trophy. From this old Irish Celtic, congratulations to all the Celtics.’
Biden, who was once one of the youngest senators in US history and is now the country’s oldest president, said he felt a kinship with Mazzulla, who was 35 when he led the Celtics to a title in his second season.
“Joe is the youngest coach to win a title since the great Bill Russell,” Biden said. “I told him that I was the youngest and now I am the oldest. I liked being the youngest more.’
The Celtics greeted a band playing “Shipping up to Boston” before Biden and team owner Wyc Grousbeck met in the elevators overlooking the Washington Monument; behind them green lights flashed from the White House eaves. Among others, Maura Healey, the governor of Massachusetts, Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston, and most of the state congressional delegation were present.
“I didn’t really know what to expect. I went in, ‘I’m more excited than I thought I’d be,’ White told reporters. “Being in the White House, being where all the decisions – all the cool things – are happening, that was the best.”
Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca said Biden’s 4-year-old grandson, Beau Jr., tried on his championship ring. (Oshae Brissett, a member of the 2024 team who is not with the Celtics this year, was in attendance and received his championship ring Thursday.)
Biden also received a commemorative basketball, which he threw to Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who was sitting in the front row, and then to Celtics center Al Horford.
“I wasn’t expecting a pump fake,” White told reporters. “It’s harder to make a pass on a bat, so I was surprised.”
Biden talked about the history of the Celtics and their success last year, when they posted 64 regular season wins – the most since winning the title in 2008 and the fourth best in franchise history. They went 16-3 in the playoffs, Eliminating the Dallas Mavericks in five games.
Biden also noted that the ’24 Celtics had the highest points-per-possession ratio in NBA history – one of the greatest stats, but one that featured team vice president and stats guru Mike Zarren.
“The basketball stats community has come a long way: The President of the United States is talking about points per possession!” Zarren posted on X after speaking to reporters at the event.
Members of the Celtics organization returned to the White House after the festivities to meet with administration officials about pet issues, including “Raise the Age,” which seeks to treat 18- to 20-year-olds as juveniles in the criminal justice system. , and “Curbside Care,” which provides medical assistance to new mothers in underserved communities.
“It was a very exciting and emotional day,” Grousbeck told reporters in a video call afterward. “We didn’t focus on that. We passed banner and opening nightand then it was all business. Joe (Mazzulla) doesn’t want to dwell too much in the past, he wants to focus everything on moving forward. That being said, everyone here, including Joe, seemed to be having a great time.’
Zarren said he spoke with a Secret Service agent who was a Celtics fan and had to endure a Golden State Warriors visit two years ago.
“He told them it was a bittersweet moment because he wanted his Celtics to be here. And they told him: “Relax, they will come soon”, said Zarren. “So for him, it was a good moment to see us show up in there.”
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NBA AP: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
