Video: Celtics Unveil 2024 NBA Title Rings, Raise 18th Banner Ahead of Knicks Opener

Posted by Admin October 22, 2024 NBA

China Wong/NBAE via Getty Images

The Boston Celtics raised the 18th championship banner in franchise history ahead of Tuesday night’s regular season opener against the New York Knicks.

The Celtics also received their 2024 championship rings, which each feature 15 carats of white diamonds.

The inside is engraved with the results of the Celtics’ playoff series against the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks, while the years of the Celtics’ previous 17 titles wrap around the edges of the ring.

One side features the player’s name and number above the slogan “Whatever it takes,” while the other displays the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, the year 2024 and the Celtics’ 80-21 overall record.

The removable top of the ring is inlaid with “a piece of the home parquet floor” and the final score from the Celtics’ title-clinching win over the Dallas Mavericks on June 17.

Below the top of the ring, the ring contains a miniature version of the championship banner surrounded by each player’s jersey number.

The Celtics began the ceremony with a tribute video which detailed how each star of the championship roster arrived in Boston, including the consecutive No. 3 picks of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in 2016 and 2017.

Noa Dalzell 🏀 @NoaDalzell

The Celtics begin the banner ceremony with a callback to how every key player got here. Chills pic.twitter.com/LK27ZCwMIw

Celtics players then arrived, wearing championship jackets stitched with 18 trophies on the right sleeve, to receive their rings.

Once players had received their rings, Celtics star Jayson Tatum addressed the crowd at TD Garden.

“Let’s enjoy this moment together. I can honestly say, to the best fans in the world— let’s do it again,” Tatum said.

Tatum capped off the ceremony with a three-pointer on the first possession of the regular season opener.

NBA @NBA

Jayson Tatum drills the 3 on the first possession to get the 2024-25 NBA season UNDERWAY ‼️
📺 Knicks-Celtics on TNT pic.twitter.com/UqNlByqEbC

The Celtics broke a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers to become the first team in NBA history to amass 18 championships.

Sixteen of those titles were won between 1957 and 1986 before Kevin Garnett and the 2008 Celtics ended a two-decade drought. It took another 16 years before Tatum and Brown led the franchise to another championship.

The question will now be if the Celtics can win a second consecutive title. The feat has been accomplished 13 times before, most recently in 2018 by Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

The Celtics are 15-2 all time in the first game of a regular season following a championship win. The team will look to begin its repeat bid by improving that record to 16-2 with a win over the Knicks on Tuesday night.