After years of near-misses, the Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics finally climbed the NBA’s mountain. But while Tatum and Jaylen Brown enjoyed the fruits of their labor, one of the team’s ex-integral core pieces, Marcus Smart, was left on the outside looking in because of an offseason trade.
Smart says he doesn’t hold any grudges over it.
In an interview on the Run Your Race podcast, Smart said he was so proud of the Celtics for finally winning the NBA title. At the same time, he admitted it was a little bittersweet watching them do it without him. But he’s not letting those feelings cloud his joy for ex-teammates.
What a classy guy:
Marcus Smart on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown winning the championship:
"I'm so proud of them. I'm proud to have been in the trenches with them."
"My wife would tell you, I was screaming for those guys when they won it just as much as anyone else."
(Via @TidalLeague) pic.twitter.com/XvwU4025lM
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) June 25, 2024
Smart is experiencing one of the more unfortunate foibles for a professional athlete. He was there for all of the important developmental moments during the Tatum and Brown era. He experienced all of the playoff heartbreak that they did. Except when it was time to cash in for a title, the Boston front office decided it might be better off without him, and that bet turned out to be correct.
Kudos to Smart for handling this tough situation with aplomb. He understands that he could and should still be happy for his friends first and foremost.