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Celtics Excited to Learn from, Play Alongside Jrue Holiday: 'He Understands What It Takes'
It cost Robert Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, and multiple first-round picks, a price that has people in some corners questioning whether it was a move worth making. But by acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics believe they've bolstered their chances of raising Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters.
At media day at the Auerbach Center on Monday, the franchise's president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, stated, "There's a list of guys in the league that you always think you'll never have a real chance to get that you think are perfect fits that you'd love to be a Celtic, and Jrue was one of those guys."
Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
Boston's head coach, Joe Mazzulla, shared a similar sentiment, voicing, "Any time you can add character, I think it's a win."
The C's elder statesman, Al Horford, expressed, "Having the opportunity to play with Jrue, somebody that I respect so much and look from afar with admiration, just the type of player he is, the type of person he is; he's about the right things and winning and competing," adding, "I'm really excited about that and developing that relationship and chemistry with him and moving forward with it. He's somebody that I just would never have imagined to be playing next to. But now that he's here, I'm excited."
Derrick White said of his new backcourt mate and fellow All-Defensive Team selection, "Having someone that has been on that stage and has won on that stage, that's something that you can't really replace or replicate," and "having him on our team now is going to be good, and he's going to just help us each and every day. He understands what it takes to get over that hump, and that's what we keep talking about."
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While discussing what it's like to deal with the five-time All-Defensive team member hounding him, utilizing an impressive blend of size for a guard at six-foot-three, possessing the speed necessary to defend that position, and having the strength to stifle taller opponents, Jaylen Brown conveyed, "A tremendous amount of respect for Jrue from somebody who he's guarded."
The two-time All-Star continued, "He plays with a certain force that you could just feel. He's just, he's a super solid man, and just as a competitor, he's an assassin. So, to be playing alongside him, I think it'll be a tremendous honor."
Jayson Tatum, the other half of Boston's star wing tandem relayed, "We certainly can learn a lot from Jrue, being on a team that won a championship and they had to face a lot of adversity."
The two-time All-NBA First Team selection added, "I remember Giannis (Antetokounmpo) got hurt in the playoffs, and they were down 0-2 in the Finals and came back and won. There is a lot we can learn from Jrue. On the court, the stuff they had to overcome, and off the court. I'm looking forward to having him on this team, what he brings as a player and as a person."
Further Reading
Jaylen Brown Reveals Personal Challenge for Upcoming Season
Kristaps Porzingis Says His Foot's 'Perfectly Fine' and He's Ready for Training Camp
Celtics ‘Eager’ to Extend Jrue Holiday
Jayson Tatum Met with Specialists About Offseason Wrist Surgery
Jayson Tatum Preparing for Point-Guard Role This Season
Brad Stevens Discusses Differences in Joe Mazzulla Entering Year 2 as Celtics' Head Coach
Here's What to Know About Celtics' 2023-24 Schedule
Why Celtics Should Enter 2023-24 Season Optimistic About Most Important Area of Improvement
