All the best moments from the Boston Celtics’ 2022-23 season Media Day captured in images.
The Boston Celtics held their annual Media Day proceedings on Monday afternoon just days after news broke of Celtics head coach Ime Udoka’s suspension and the elevation of assistant coach Joe Mazzulla to interim status.
The mood of the day was generally upbeat and positive despite the unexpected chaos surrounding Udoka’s suspension for the 2022-23 NBA season, but some aspects of it leaked into the otherwise forward-facing event. Awkward conversations aside, the general feel of Boston’s season kick-off was positive, with many fun moments caught on camera for posterity.
Let’s take a look at a selection of those moments captured in images.
Robert Williams III shared an update on his recent knee surgery and explained why he has no regrets about coming back early last spring. https://t.co/qhGcSa9q5V
“I can bring a lot of things,” veteran big man Boban Marjanovic says of his potential value to the Rockets. “Not just basketball, but in the locker room, too.”
Listed at 7-foot-4 and 290 pounds, newly acquired veteran center Boban Marjanovic is easily the largest player on the Houston Rockets and one of the biggest in the entire NBA. Unfortunately, he has seldom been a consistent rotation player, since that enormous body size makes him a defensive liability in many speed-based matchups.
But even if Marjanovic is only a part-time, situational player, he can still provide value in other areas. That value was on full display during a jovial interview at Monday’s media day in Houston, which kicked off training camp for the 2022-23 Rockets.
“I’m capable to play and score double-doubles every night,” he said. “But it’s about the team. It’s not about one person. It’s about everybody to get better. You never know when it’s your time coming, and guys need to know (that) you step up when it’s your opportunity.”
“I can bring a lot of things,” Marjanovic said of his value to the Rockets. “Not just basketball, but in the locker room, too.”
Though Marjanovic was traded from a Western Conference contender to a rebuilding team as part of the deal sending Christian Wood to Dallas, the 34-year-old had no frustration with the outcome.
“I’m happy because I’m here, and I think it will be an amazing, amazing year for us,” he said. “It’s about trying to be the best human being it is possible to be, to help my teammates, to support them.”
Marjanovic had rave reviews for many of his new teammates and coaches with the Rockets, who begin training camp on Tuesday.
“I follow them; I know them,” Marjanovic said. “They’re really talented. They’re really good. They’re a good group of people. They love to work out. They love to stay extra, extra hours in the gym. I see that. This is what it’s all about. They’re really nice kids, by the way. This makes me happy. We have everybody that can work together and make the best it possibly can be.”
“The guys fly all around,” he added. “They’re jumping from the floor to the roof. They’re really good and super exciting.”
The veteran added specifics on head coach Stephen Silas, who he worked with in Dallas, and second-year center Alperen Sengun, who, like Marjanovic, is a big man from Eastern Europe.
On Silas, Marjanovic said:
He is like the nicest human being ever. I had a great experience with him. When he came here and he moved (from his assistant position in Dallas), everybody was so sad because we lost so much; great person, great heart, basketball knowledge of everything. Of course, we wished him best. Now, I’m here with him and I’m happy. It’s really cool to be around him.
Regarding Sengun, who is poised to start in front of Marjanovic at center, the Serbian veteran pointed to the young prospect’s time with Besiktas Icrypex of the Turkish Super League, where Sengun was named MVP during 2020-21 season. Marjanovic elaborated:
Nobody could stop him. He is an amazing player, good guy. He’ll be better, better every single moment, every single game, every single day.
“These guys here have great heart, great soul,” Marjanovic concluded. “To be around them, it’s a blessing.”
The Tennessee product wants to ensure “as a team we have success because individually, that stuff happens.”
Earlier in the Boston Celtics‘ 2022 offseason, reserve forward Grant Williams paid the Golden State Warriors a compliment by saying that their collective experience at such high levels of play were the difference between a Celtics victory and the Dubs hanging a banner at the end of the 2021-22 season.
The comment went over like a lead balloon at the time due to Williams’ debatable assertion that the Celtics were the better team despite the loss, but arguing over those particular semantics aside, the Tennessee product does indeed have a point. And if the Dubs’ Finals experience was the difference, one would hope Williams has learned from the loss.
Asked about whether he had in a Media Day interview with team reporters Marc D’Amico and Amanda Pflugrad, and the Charlotte native said “Absolutely. I learned what exactly we all are capable of as individuals as a group.”
Jayson Tatum on how Joe Mazzulla can lead the Celtics: “We’re gonna have to help him. And he’s gonna have to help us. We’re all in this together.” https://t.co/OjYEJnYtle
KJ Martin on whether he is part of the Rockets’ future: “I’m just here to do my job. Everything else is between upper management and my agents.”
In search of more playing time entering his third NBA season, reserve forward KJ Martin reportedly approached the Houston Rockets during the 2022 offseason about a potential trade elsewhere.
As of late September, it hasn’t happened. But with the Rockets having added two highly touted first-round rookie forwards in the 2022 draft, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason, the underlying calculus certainly hasn’t changed. If anything, the path to rotation minutes for the 21-year-old is even more difficult.
At Monday’s media day, which kicks off the Rockets’ 2022-23 training camp, Martin reported to camp with his teammates and was asked whether he sees his long-term future in Houston.
His answer did not provide much clarity:
“I’m just here to do my job,” Martin said. “Everything else is between upper management and my agents. This summer, my goal was to get better and try to make the team better. I feel like I got better.”
With Martin under contract at a relatively cheap rate for two more seasons, the Rockets understandably aren’t desperate to trade an athletic forward who has averaged 9 points (52.4% FG, 36.0% on 3-pointers) and 3.8 rebounds in 22 minutes per game over two seasons. It would require solid value to general manager Rafael Stone.
But for a player entering his third NBA season, reduced minutes aren’t ideal. Whether the two sides can find a happy medium, or if a trade ultimately materializes, is a storyline worth monitoring as the 2022-23 regular season approaches.
Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Rafael Stone, and Stephen Silas are among those taking the podium at Toyota Center for Monday’s Rockets media day, which kicks off training camp.
HOUSTON — General manager Rafael Stone, head coach Stephen Silas and select players from the 2022-23 Rockets are meeting with media members Monday at Toyota Center to preview the upcoming season, which begins with the Sunday, Oct. 2 preseason opener.
The rebuilding Rockets remain one of the NBA’s youngest teams, and they finished with the league’s worst record (20-62) last season. Yet, there were clear signs of development and growth from prospects such as Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Alperen Sengun.
This offseason, Houston reinforced its youth movement with three first-round picks in the 2022 NBA draft, led by Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. at No. 3 overall. Later on, LSU forward Tari Eason (No. 17) and Kentucky guard TyTy Washington (No. 29) joined the fray.
Scroll on for updates from all of Monday’s interviews. With the spotlight on those prized prospects, Houston’s training camp begins Tuesday in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and continues there for three days before shifting back to Houston to prepare for exhibition games. The 2022-23 regular season will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Click here throughout the day to check out the best quotes from 2022 Thunder media day.
The Oklahoma City Thunder held their 2022 media day on Monday, Sept. 26.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and most of the players are expected to talk with the media.
Due to the event taking up several hours, this article will be continuously updated throughout the day with the best quotes and paraphrases from the event.
This will be the first time many Thunder players will speak publicly since April.
The Oklahoma City Thunder officially announced 2022 media day will be held on Monday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and players will speak with the media for the first time in months.
The entire league will hold its media day on the same day, so this announcement was more a formality for the Thunder.
Media day marks the unofficial start of the 2022-23 season. Training camps and preseason games occurring the following weeks before the regular season starts for the Thunder three weeks later on Oct. 19.
The Rockets will hold their annual media day on Monday, Sept. 26 in Houston before traveling to Lake Charles, Louisiana, for training camp.
To kick off activities for the 2022-23 NBA season, the Rockets will hold their annual media day on Monday, Sept. 26, at the Toyota Center in downtown Houston.
Media day generally consists of press conference interviews with the franchise’s general manager, head coach and numerous players regarding their outlook for the new season. After being fully virtual in 2020 and partially virtual in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, media day will be a completely in-person affair in 2022.
According to the team’s announcement to media, interviews will be with general manager Rafael Stone, head coach Stephen Silas and select players (who will be named shortly before the event).
The team typically live streams the event for fans to watch, though details for that option have not yet been released by the Rockets.
After media day, training camp will be held in Lake Charles, Louisiana, from Tuesday, Sept. 27 through Thursday, Sept. 29, similar to out-of-town camp stints in previous years — such as when the Rockets went to Galveston, Texas, a year ago. The general idea is a non-traditional location can serve as a team bonding experience, both during practice hours and while away from the court.
Training camp will be held at McNeese State University’s Legacy Center, formerly known as the Health and Human Performance Education Complex. The Rockets used that facility for training camp in 2018, shortly before its official opening.
Practices will resume at Toyota Center on Saturday, Oct. 1, with the 2022-23 preseason starting at home the next day.
Defensive coordinator Tim Banks, offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Golesh took part in media day, along with student-athletes.
Tennessee went 7-6 in Heupel’s first season as head coach, appearing in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Purdue.
The Vols will kick off its 2022 season Sept. 1 against Ball State at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EDT and SEC Network will televise the season-opening matchup.
Alabama representatives for 2022 media day announced
Before the 2022 college football season commences, SEC Media Days will take place in Atlanta. There, we will hear from all 14 SEC coaches and select player representatives from each program.
The 2022 Alabama representatives are [autotag]Will Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jordan Battle[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryce Young[/autotag].
These three players are seasoned veterans who have earned Coach Saban’s trust to represent the University in front of the national media.
Alabama will take the podium on July 19.
Will Anderson, Jordan Battle and Bryce Young will join Nick Saban at SEC Media Days on Tuesday, July 19.
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