Blake Griffin has spent 13 NBA seasons with three totally different groups and has nearly seen all of it.
But the Boston Celtics managed to take him aback Sunday after he joined the crew.
The veteran ahead, who formally signed a one-year contract with the Celtics on Monday, admitted his new teammates made a really robust first impression on him Sunday when he visited TD Garden forward of Boston’s preseason opener in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets.
“I’ve talked to pretty much everybody,” Griffin informed reporters Monday. “I used to be speaking to some guys (Sunday). … I’m truly very — not shocked, however the quantity of maturity and welcomingness (that the Celtics’ gamers confirmed) … it’s a special environment than I used to be type of used to, in a great way.
“They were very welcoming: everybody, one through 15. Practice today was focused, very encouraging, helpful. I think you kind of take that for granted because it’s not always the case everywhere you go.”
“It’s a different atmosphere than I’m used to. In a good way.”
Blake Griffin talks “welcoming” environment with the #Celtics after his first observe in Boston, and his first impressions of Joe Mazzulla as a head coach ☘️ pic.twitter.com/WEQaWne7mJ
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 3, 2022
Griffin’s feedback are a robust testomony to Boston’s locker room make-up.
The C’s have a comparatively younger crew, however the nucleus of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams have been collectively for a number of years now and have made nice strides within the management division.
Boston’s chemistry and cohesiveness had been a giant cause why the crew reached the 2022 NBA Finals and sure performed a job in Brad Stevens’ determination to not commerce for Kevin Durant this summer time and disrupt what this group has going for it.
Blake Griffin spent the 2021-22 season with Durant, Kyrie Irving, and that dysfunctional Brooklyn Nets crew, so the bar is likely to be low for him by way of having supportive teammates.
Still, Celtics followers must be inspired to listen to this sort of reward from a participant who has been within the league for over a decade.
The 33-year-old may make his C’s debut this Wednesday in Boston’s second preseason sport in opposition to the Toronto Raptors.
