Hall of Famer Presents Prestigious Award to Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart predicted to be traded to Hawks

Getty Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

As if winning the most distinguished award the NBA has to offer for individual defense wasn’t exciting enough for Marcus Smart, a very special guest made an appearance to present it to him. NBA Hall-of-Famer and former Boston Celtics point guard Gary Payton appeared at the Celtics’ practice today to announce Smart as the recipient of the KIA Defensive Player of the Year Award. Before announcing Smart as this season’s winner, Payton gave Smart props both for what he does and his respect for Payton’s legacy.

“You’re a guy that I think reminds me of myself,” Payton said. “Everybody asks me about it all the time and it’s you. You play that D the way you’re supposed to. You play with a chip on your shoulder and some heart.”

Once Smart accepted the honor, he was instantly showered with love from his teammates. Literally.

In Payton’s monologue, he referenced a tweet Smart had put out back in March when the latter talked about his candidacy as Defensive Player of the Year this season. Smart sounded pessimistic about his chances of getting the award back then because of the lack of guards that have previously received it.

Smart going on to win the award anyway, pessimism and all, should make receiving such an honor all the sweeter for him, especially knowing that he is the first guard to win the award since Payton in 1996.


Smart Gave an “Acceptance” Speech Afterward

After being showered by his teammates, the current Defensive Player of the Year gave an acceptance speech afterwards, showing gratitude for everyone who helped him get the honor while attributing Payton’s example to him as a defender.

“First off, I definitely want to thank you guys,” Smart said. “My coaching staff, my teammates. It’s not easy playing in this league full of guys like Jayson and Jaylen who score the… ball the way they do… Getting the recognition on that defensive end and trying to guard these guys every night. This is eight years man. Just trying to make do what I do. You guys have allowed me to do that. Looking at (Payton’s) tape, wondering if I could do it and listening to the words and scouting everything (Payton does). I appreciate you guys.”


Celtics Teammates Show Their Support

Ever since winning the award, Marcus Smart has received nothing but congratulations from all of his teammates on social media. Chief among his biggest boosters have been the team’s best players Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Brown referenced Smart’s Instagram handle (“younggamechanger”) all while praising him as a defensive legend.

It didn’t take long for Tatum to follow suit. While shouting out Smart, Tatum praised his teammate for being the first guard to win the award since Payton.

While there have been other Celtics players who have also shouted out Smart for winning the award on other social media platforms, what makes Brown’s and Tatum’s praises so special, besides them being the team’s best players, is how far things have come between Smart and those two since the beginning of the season.

Many were taken aback on November 1st when, following a demoralizing loss to the Chicago Bulls, Smart criticized Tatum’s and Brown’s inability to create for their teammates. Most notably, Smart said word for word that “they don’t want to pass the ball.” Smart’s comments triggered many to speculate that there was tension in the locker room.

Whether there were or weren’t hurt feelings there, Brown and Tatum going out of their way to show immense support for their teammate almost half a year later demonstrate how unified everyone is in that locker room and how far things have come since when the season first started.

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