Tag: ubuntu

The 2008 Boston Celtics had ‘Ubuntu;’ this team has ‘Love and Trust’

Fitting, perhaps, given it was Smart’s tough love comments at the midpoint of the 2021-22 campaign that sparked the transformation into this iteration of the team.

Most fans of the Boston Celtics and their longest-tenured player, Marcus Smart, are big supporters of the phrase “love and trust.”

When it comes to the team itself, that is less a catchphrase specific to the Flower Mound native and more the secret behind the team playing so well together at the end of last season and so far in this one.

That is fitting given it was Smart’s tough love comments at the midpoint of the 2021-22 campaign that sparked the transformation into this version of the team. That was a point of conversation in Derrick White’s recent interview with former NBAer and host of the “Old Man and the Three” podcast JJ Redick.

The 2008 title team had “Ubuntu” and this team has “Love and Trust.”

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what White means by this turn of phrase in this context.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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2008 champ Kendrick Perkins talks origin of ‘ubuntu’ on new Celtics team podcast

The ‘ubuntu’ origin story was revealed on the inaugural episode of the new Celtics-produced podcast ‘The View From the Rafters’.

The concept of ‘ubuntu’ in NBA circles started with the Boston Celtics last title team. A team-oriented concept derived from a Nguni Bantu term meaning ‘humanity,’ it is sometimes translated to mean “I am because we are.” That ought to make its application to a team setting evident.

In terms of the 2008 title team, it has become something canonical, representative of what made that Celtics squad so great — complete with its own lore and origin story. That story was re-told by former Celtic champion center Kendrick Perkins on the new team-produced podcast ‘View From the Rafters: Behind the Scenes with the Boston Celtics.”

Now a media personality and co-host of the Celtics’ new podcast, Perkins regaled its audience with the story of how ‘ubuntu’ became part of Boston lore.