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Anthony Gharib, ESPN
Jaylen Brown blew kisses to the crowd. Al Horford pumped his fists. Coach Joe Mazzulla kissed the home court.
Emotions were high for the Boston Celtics as they received their championship rings on Tuesday. The pregame ceremony included raising their historic 18th championship banner — and jewelry with first-of-its-kind details.
There are multiple references to Boston’s dominant 2023-24 season on the rings, including the team’s mantra, “Whatever It Takes,” on the ring side.
Created in collaboration with Jason Arasheben, CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, each ring includes 84 points of diamonds on the side bezel — the Celtics’ 2024 playoff winning percentage. The word “champions” includes 80 white diamonds, a nod to Boston’s 80 combined regular-season and playoff wins. Their combined record, 80-21, also is referenced on the side of the ring.
We got some really BIG rings 💎 pic.twitter.com/yNAMLpHOQv
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 22, 2024
Tap in on the details 🔎 pic.twitter.com/2ir4xDlUWA
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 22, 2024
The TD Garden’s distinct parquet floor pattern is etched into both sides of the ring alongside the years of the Celtics’ previous championship seasons on the ring’s perimeter.
An NFC chip was installed in each ring for the first time in history, according to the Celtics. That near-field communication technology allows each recipient to put their phone against the parquet design on the inside of the ring to reveal a video of the jewelry and how it was made.
“We collaborated closely with the Celtics ownership on the ring design,” Arasheben said in a news release. “The Celtics had 17 championships before last season, which means they’ve had 17 championship rings before us. We all wanted to make sure the 18th was the best and most memorable.”
There also are nods to the team’s rich history.
Eighteen emerald cut diamonds on the outer bezel represent the franchise’s championships. On the face of the ring, there are 30 points of diamonds in the word “world” to represent the seasons Boston has played at TD Garden.
Arasheben, who has designed the past four NBA championship rings, has a penchant for hidden details in his work. The Denver Nuggets had another ring inside their ring. The Golden State Warriors had a secret trapdoor. The Celtics’ bling is no different.
On the inside of the top of the ring is a piece of the parquet floor with the date and score of Boston’s title-clinching game on one side. The championship banner and jersey number of each player is on the other side.
The Celtics’ quest for a record-extending 19th championship banner began with Tuesday’s matchup against the New York Knicks, with Boston prevailing 132-109.
On Monday, Mazzulla brushed off the pressure to win another title.
During the pregame ceremony before the banner was raised, Jayson Tatum embraced it.
“Let’s do it again,” Tatum said.
After the game, Brown called the ring ceremony an “amazing moment.”
“I mean that ring is just an object, but it’s everything — the emotions, the heartbreak, the embarrassment, the work, the drive, the dedication,” he said. “That’s what that ring represents, you know what I mean? All of that is like what you feel when you hold something up.”
Source: www.espn.com