Joe Mazzulla, Celtics players have very different reactions over championship rings

The Boston Celtics’ new 2024 championship rings are anything but understated.

The new hardware features 18 emerald cut diamonds on the outer bezel — representing the franchise’s 18 championships — to go along with 15 total carats of diamonds, a removable top section, and a piece of Boston’s parquet floor.

But beyond their panache and intricate details, Boston’s new rings represented far more to both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on Tuesday after winning a sought-after 18th title.

“That ring is just an object, right? But it’s everything, the emotions, the heartbreak, the embarrassment, the work, the drive, the dedication,” Brown said after Boston’s 132-109 win over the Knicks Tuesday. “That’s what that ring represents. All of that is what you feel when you hold something up. For me, that’s what was going through my mind and it was an amazing feeling.”

“It’s just something I’ve been dreaming about for a very, very long time,” Tatum added. “A moment I’ve looked forward to since I’ve gotten into the league. A moment that, before we won, I’ve been very, very close to winning a championship and falling short.

“So to finally get over that hump and finally be a part of [an] Opening Night ring ceremony, something I’ve watched every year since I was a kid, it was just a wild moment. Like, I’m a part of it. I’m a part of history and it was worth the wait.”

For two star players who have gone through their ups and downs in Boston, finally getting their hands on a ring stood as a cathartic moment for both Tatum and Brown.

But their head coach in Joe Mazzulla had a more practical reaction to the latest addition to his jewelry box.

“When I got the ring, I don’t know, I just think it’s too big,” Mazzulla declared. “I don’t know why it’s so big and I’m never going to wear it. But it’s cool to have, was kind of what I thought.”


Mazzulla was not the only Celtic who was taken aback by the size of Boston’s new ring, with Al Horford admitting that he’ll have to get his refitted after injuring his ring finger during the 2024 playoffs.

“Honestly, I was just very surprised by the size of that ring. Have you guys seen the ring? The things was, I dislocated my finger during the playoffs and it was like super swollen, so when I took the measurements, I got it way bigger than it was supposed to be,” Horford said. “Like right now, I can’t even wear it.

“My finger, the swelling came down on it and it’s just huge. I kept talking to (Kristaps Porzingis) and the guys like, ‘Man, this thing is just enormous.’ It’s just pretty cool. I just kept looking at the size of the ring and the detail on it and they really did a great job with it.”

Regardless of how each player and coach from the 2023-24 Celtics team plans on wearing their new rings, it stands as a physical (and flashy) testament to a long-awaited title in Boston.

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