BOSTONIANS OF THE YEAR | Honorable Mentions | Lasting Legacies
In the end, as green and white confetti fluttered to the TD Garden floor, they had answered all the questions. About whether Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could coexist. If the defense could contain Luka Doncic, the transcendent Dallas Mavericks guard. And could a second-year head coach from Rhode Island coax a team of stars to buy into his system? The proof — an 18th championship banner — is hanging in the rafters.
But it’s not only what they achieved that made the team unforgettable, but how they went about doing it. They inspired us with their connectedness as a team as well as their impressive—and sometimes unheralded — commitment to the community. For their work on and off the court, we’ve named them the 2024 Bostonians of the Year. Read on for 18 ways they’ve earned the honor.
Jayson Tatum embraces his son, Deuce, after winning the NBA Finals.
Jayson Tatum embraces his son, Deuce, after winning the NBA Finals.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
1. JT’s Evolution
It is neither harsh nor an exaggeration to acknowledge that Jayson Tatum’s outside shot abandoned him in the NBA Finals. After shooting 47.1 percent overall and 37.6 percent from 3-point territory during the regular season, he fell to a dismal 38.8 percent and 26.3 percent in the championship round. The struggles frustrated Tatum, of course, but he did not let them engulf him.
Tatum grew up admiring Kobe Bryant, a ruthless shoot-first, ask-questions-later offensive player. It is never easy for a young scoring dynamo to accept that passing is sometimes the best option. But Tatum, recognizing that stopping him was the focal point of the Mavericks defense, shared the ball and trusted his teammates. He averaged 7.2 assists per game in the Finals, up from a career-best 4.9 in the regular season. The Finals were not a referendum on Tatum’s shooting. They were proof he’s a true multiskilled superstar. – Chad Finn
Jaylen Brown goes hands-in with people from his 7uice Foundation before a game.
Jaylen Brown goes hands-in with people from his 7uice Foundation before a game.Jim Davis/Globe Staff
2. Jaylen Brown’s Vision
Tupac Shakur famously said we didn’t need any more basketball players. He wanted us to quit chasing athletes and entertainment and cultivate more caring people, thought leaders.
Jaylen Brown is both an NBA superstar and what Tupac called for. We know how valuable he is on the court. But it’s also about who Brown is off it, the man his mom — activist, educator, and philanthropist Mechalle Brown — raised him to be. A man who inspires a better future.
He’s been about advocacy since joining the league, becoming the National Basketball Players Association’s youngest vice president in 2019. A year later, he drove to his home state of Georgia to protest the murder of George Floyd. He advocated for resources and awareness during the pandemic.
Through his 7uice Foundation, he started the Bridge Program. By collaborating with institutions, organizations, and leaders, the initiative helps close the opportunity gap for Black and brown youth. Whether he is giving a talk at Harvard or NASA, or being a fellow at MIT, he’s dedicated to building bonds, learning, and creating solutions.
Now Brown is helping close the racial wealth gap through an accelerator program he launched with Jrue and Lauren Holiday. Their first class includes 10 entrepreneurs who will receive up to $100,000 in funding over three years, as well as mentorship and support services.
The accelerator is part of the launch of Brown’s Boston XChange, an initiative he founded this year with the goal of generating $5 billion in generational wealth in Boston’s communities of color. He locked in with Jason Kidd on Oakland XChange, too.
And to think, we haven’t even covered how Brown made a summer bop with rapper A$AP Ferg. He is just beginning to show us his game. – Jeneé Osterheldt
Kristaps Porzingis fought back from injuries to put his stamp on the Finals.
Kristaps Porzingis fought back from injuries to put his stamp on the Finals.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
3. Kristaps Porzingis, Happy Warrior
Kristaps Porzingis had missed more than a month of the playoffs due to a calf strain, so when his WWE-style entrance before Game 1 of the Finals was shown on the TD Garden video board, the crowd erupted.
He instantly dominated, setting the tone for the entire series. A Game 2 ankle injury once again sidelined Porzingis, but he insisted on returning for the Game 5 clincher. His career has been plagued by injuries, but Celtics fans will always appreciate his toughness and the way he emanates joy. If you yell and wave to Porzingis, he will almost always smile and wave back. – Adam Himmelsbach
The championship made Al Horford the first Dominican-born player in NBA history to win a title.
The championship made Al Horford the first Dominican-born player in NBA history to win a title.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
4. Horford’s History
Given the 18-time-champion Celtics’ unparalleled success, it’s not easy for a player to be the first to ever accomplish something. But then there are few players like Al Horford.
Horford, 38, has accumulated some distinctive firsts: When he signed with the Celtics in 2016, he became the first player in his prime to come here as a free agent. After departing Boston following the disappointing 2019 season, he returned in a trade in June 2021, the first deal Brad Stevens made as president of basketball operations. Then there are two particularly personal firsts: The championship was the first of Horford’s long career, making him the first Dominican-born player in NBA history to win a title. Afterward, Horford, known for his community involvement in his native country and here, was awarded the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez, and Mella — the Dominican Republic’s highest honor. – C.F.
Al Horford holds his son, Ean, near the end of Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Al Horford holds his son, Ean, near the end of Game 5 of the NBA Finals.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
5. Family Affair
Among the indelible moments from the championship celebration, Deuce Tatum — Jayson’s son, then 6 years old and a star in his own right — found his father on the floor of the TD Garden, hands over his face. “Daddy!” he called out, before being scooped up in a joyous embrace.
That loved ones are a fixture around the arena is by design: Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and coach Joe Mazzulla stress they want the team to be a family, and part of that means welcoming actual families.
In addition to Deuce, Al Horford’s 9-year-old son, Ean, is so entwined in the team that he’s been seen on the floor chest-bumping players after a win. The players’ proud parents are constantly seen at games, with Tatum’s mother, Brandy; Jaylen Brown’s mother, Mechalle; and Horford’s father, Tito, leading the way.
The focus on children and families extends beyond the court: Earlier this year Tatum co-authored a children’s book inspired by his relationship with Deuce, and his foundation seeks to empower youth. Meanwhile, Derrick White won the team’s 2024 Community Champion Award for his work benefiting young people and his support of the Special Olympics. – A.H.
Celebrating the Celtics’ title clinching Game 5 victory at The Greatest Bar in Boston.
Celebrating the Celtics’ title clinching Game 5 victory at The Greatest Bar in Boston.Kayla Bartkowski For The Boston Globe
6. The Green Teamers
If you go to a game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, or Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., or even the Kaseya Center in Miami, you’re bound to encounter a throng of Celtics fans booming “Let’s Go Celtics!” Celtics Nation runs deep and wide, and there was no better showcase than the victory parade, when over 1 million fans from all different backgrounds lined the streets of Boston to celebrate the championship. Jayson Tatum basked in the adulation, calling it one of the best days of his life. – Gary Washburn
Al Horford standing in front of a green van with a baby stroller.
Derrick White was so inspired by the Curbside Care program that he purchased new strollers for the families that take part in it.From the Celtics
7. The $25 Million Promise
There have been few greater champions for social justice in sports history than Celtics icon Bill Russell. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr., stood by Muhammad Ali after he refused to serve in Vietnam, and spoke up when teammates encountered racism.
With Russell’s legacy as a backdrop, and amid the reckoning ignited by George Floyd’s murder, the organization began asking what more it could do to fight systemic racism. Led by Allison Feaster, vice president of team operations and organizational growth (and Harvard basketball legend), and Dave Hoffman, senior vice president of community engagement, the team initiated discussions with local leaders and with its own players and staff.
The result was Boston Celtics United for Social Justice, a fund within the Shamrock Foundation earmarked for addressing racial injustice and social inequities in Greater Boston.
The organization has committed $25 million over a decade to what it has identified as “six pillars” of addressing inequality, including in areas such as criminal justice, health care, and education.
The team identifies issues that disproportionately affect the Black community — such as high infant mortality rates or a lack of access to early childhood education — and then searches for local organizations working to combat those inequities. Hoffman says the fund looks for groups whose models are sustainable and replicable in different neighborhoods in Greater Boston, which, with more funding, could be done at a greater scale. If those benchmarks are met, as Hoffman puts it, “We’ll throw the Celtics’ kitchen sink at it.”
That includes the Celtics’ greatest resource: its players. Jaylen Brown has been involved in a number of programs, including the Raise The Age initiative that aims to change the juvenile incarceration age from 17 to 20. Derrick White was so inspired by the Curbside Care program — which provides comprehensive medical care to young mothers and their infants in a mobile unit that visits their homes — that he purchased new strollers for the families in the program. The current Celtics are standing on the shoulders of Russell when it comes to social justice. But they’re forging their own path as well. – C.F.
Jaylen Brown throws down a dunk during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Jaylen Brown throws down a dunk during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
8. From Boos to MVP
Celtics fans are known for their knowledge, but even they can reach a wildly off-base consensus from time to time. Consider: At the team’s draft party in 2016, the selection of Jaylen Brown with the No. 3 overall pick was greeted with boos.
But while fans may have been skeptical of Brown, the player himself has never been plagued with anything resembling self-doubt. Combine his confidence with his elite athletic ability (even by NBA standards) and tireless work ethic, and the product is an offensive force who hit huge shots throughout the postseason en route to the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP awards. On defense, he gave Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic fits, and in one telling moment of Game 5, went as far as imploring coach Joe Mazzulla: “If Luka stays, keep me in.”
Say, is there any way to retroactively revoke boos? – C.F.
Coach Joe Mazzulla carries the championship trophy through Boston.
Coach Joe Mazzulla carries the championship trophy through Boston.From the Celtics
9. The Legend of Mazzulla
Two days after winning the title, a Celtics contingent was flying back from a celebration in Miami, satisfied and bleary-eyed. But as others looked forward to naps, coach Joe Mazzulla looked at the Larry O’Brien Trophy and said it needed to be brought to the people. A few hours later, he was parading it through the North End, delighting surprised onlookers.
Mazzulla was a behind-the-bench assistant before taking over for the suspended Ime Udoka in 2022, and when that season ended with a thud, he was viewed as a potential scapegoat.
But after assembling his own staff, going through a full training camp, and gaining the trust of his players, Mazzulla showed off his basketball brilliance. Along the way, he transformed into a cult figure in this no-nonsense city. He was their Joe now. – A.H.
Mazzulla implores his players to spread the floor and take quality 3-point shots.
Mazzulla implores his players to spread the floor and take quality 3-point shots.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
10. The Art of ‘Mazzulla Ball’
They say that three is better than two — and I think we can all agree on that. That has been Mazzulla’s philosophy — dubbed “Mazzulla ball” by observers — since taking over as coach. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens has filled the roster with quality shooters and Mazzulla has implored them to spread the floor and take quality 3-point shots. The additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday gave him more options than the previous season, and it’s one of the main reasons the team won the title. It’s also why the 2023-24 Celtics rank fifth all-time in point differential at 10.7, including 11.34 during their 64-win regular season. – G.W.
A couple dressed up in dark suits posing on a red carpet.
Jrue Holiday and Lauren Holiday attend the 2023 ESPY Awards in Hollywood.Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
11. The Holiday Power Couple
Jrue Holiday leads. Since joining the team last year, he’s done what he always has: strategizing, pivoting, and bridging gaps — on and off the court.
What makes his leadership special? His love. He and his wife, Lauren — a two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion with the US women’s national soccer team — spread love. Having met as college athletes, they’ve always known the power of sport. For them, the mission is to take that influence into the world.
Together, they founded the JLH Fund in 2020 with a focus on fighting systemic racism and inequality. Jrue donated the remainder of his NBA salary with the New Orleans Pelicans that season — about $5 million — to its launch. They’ve brought this commitment to Boston, adding the city’s nonprofits and small businesses to organizations that they help.
Earlier this year, in partnership with Jaylen Brown, they launched the Boston Creator Incubator + Accelerator. Boston is only better with the Holidays. – J.O.
Luke Kornet, left, and Sam Hauser played key roles off the bench.
Luke Kornet, left, and Sam Hauser played key roles off the bench.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
12. The Ready, Steady Reserves
They became known as the Bus 1 Boys because, during road trips, they often leave shootarounds and games before the stars. They’ve also been called the Stay-Ready Group, a more self-explanatory moniker. Whatever the nickname, Boston’s backups were essential. From Payton Pritchard’s ball pressure to Sam Hauser’s 3-point shooting to Luke Kornet’s mesmerizing approach to contesting 3-pointers, everyone had a role, and each filled it perfectly. – A.H.
The Celtics Entertainment teams, including the Celtics Dancers, keep things lively and fans engaged throughout the season.
The Celtics Entertainment teams, including the Celtics Dancers, keep things lively and fans engaged throughout the season.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
13. The Gardeners
The Celtics are a force, but part of their strength comes from the TD Garden itself — and the people who tend to it.
What would a game night be without the concessions, ushers, ticketing support, and other staff? Without the limber mascot Lucky the Leprechaun?
The Celtics Entertainment teams come through when the game calls for a little magic. In addition to Lucky and the high-flying dunks of the Flight Crew, there’s the dazzling Celtics Dancers, Lil Phunk junior dance crew, and Green Team acrobats. DJ Brek.One keeps the vibes right, while public address announcer Eddie Palladino and in-arena hostess with the most, Melisa Valdez, are the voices of the court.
Then there are the team videographers, photographers, and Celtics social team, who keep the stories flowing and the fans engaged.
While none of these people can make shots, without them, a home game would never feel the same. They, too, are the people’s champs. – J.O.
Derrick White wiggles his tooth after breaking it while diving for a loose ball during Game 5 of the Finals.
Derrick White wiggles his tooth after breaking it while diving for a loose ball during Game 5 of the Finals.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
14. D-White’s Smile
Champions make all sorts of sacrifices, and Derrick White took that to the extreme in the clinching fifth game of the Finals, when the guard chipped one tooth and loosened two others when Mavericks center Dereck Lively II fell on top of him, banging White’s head into the parquet floor. “I’d lose all my teeth for a championship,” he said during the postgame celebration. That’s White, through and through. – C.F.
Payton Pritchard celebrates his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Payton Pritchard celebrates his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
15. The Buckets Heard ‘Round the World
Payton Pritchard’s two buzzer-beating half-court shots in the Finals cemented his place in Celtics lore. Since then, he’s become an end-of-quarter specialist, when coach Joe Mazzulla sends him in to cause chaos. His combination of speed, accuracy, and fearlessness makes him perfect for those spots — and, this season, an early favorite for Sixth Man of the Year. – A.H.
Through an impressive string of deals, Brad Stevens built a championship roster around his young superstars.
Through an impressive string of deals, Brad Stevens built a championship roster around his young superstars.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
16. Brad’s Many Moves
Danny Ainge, who preceded Brad Stevens as president of basketball operations, developed a reputation as one of the top talent evaluators and shrewdest negotiators of his era. It was a tough act to follow, but Stevens showed that his bright basketball mind translated to this new job after moving from his coaching seat in 2021.
Over the past three years, he has traded for Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Al Horford — four of the top six players from the championship team. He also made the decision to hire Joe Mazzulla as coach following Ime Udoka’s suspension, and he stuck with him after an occasionally bumpy first season. It was no wonder that, last spring, Stevens was named the NBA’s executive of the year. Believe in Brad. – A.H.
17. The Lifers
Assistant general manager Mike Zarren watched the first half of Game 5 in the upper-deck seats his family has had season tickets for since 1995. Zarren started with the team as an intern in 2003 and has been a full-time employee for 19 years — an example of the startling continuity within the franchise.
The other lead members of the front office — Stevens, Austin Ainge, Rich Gotham, and Dave Lewin — have all been with the team for over a decade. Public relations executive Jeff Twiss was hired in 1981, at the start of Larry Bird’s third season. And game-night operations liaison Francis O’Bryant started as a ball boy in 1970 and has been working at home games in various roles for 54 years. – A.H.
Wyc Grousbeck is selling his majority stake in the Celtics after a tenure that has included two championships.
Wyc Grousbeck is selling his majority stake in the Celtics after a tenure that has included two championships.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
18. Ownership’s Last Hurrah
When Wyc Grousbeck purchased the Celtics for $360 million in 2002, the team had not won a championship in 16 years. Grousbeck and his group made sweeping changes, starting by hiring Danny Ainge as general manager. Six years later, the Celtics were champions again, followed by another title. Now that Grousbeck is selling his majority share, the Celtics could fetch as much as $6 billion, but it’s always been about a lot more than money. “We’re fans who bought the team,” Grousbeck said during the Finals. “We’re doing this for love . . . We’re doing this for Celtic pride.” – G.W.
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Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeChadFinn. Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach. Jeneé Osterheldt can be reached at jenee.osterheldt@globe.com. Follow her @sincerelyjenee and on Instagram @abeautifulresistance. Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.