Getty BOSTON, MA - MARCH 29: Isaiah Thomas #4 of the Boston Celtics celebrates with Marcus Smart #36 during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks.
They haven’t been teammates for five years now, and yet it’s clear as day that they still share a brotherly bond. When Marcus Smart was announced as the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year the other day, plenty of players, whether it was teammates, coaches, or other candidates for the award, sent Smart their regards. Chief among the congratulatory crowd was one Isaiah Thomas.
Thomas, or as Boston Celtics fans called him once upon a time, “The King in the Fourth”, congratulated his former teammate from 2015 to 2017 on winning the award. More than that, he even acknowledged that Smart winning the award was something long overdue for a guy like him.
Congrats to my brother @smart_MS3 on winning DPOY!!! Well deserved killa, about damn time!!! 🏁
To which Smart thanked Thomas for his kind words.
@isaiahthomas Thank u fam!!! All love always. 🙏🏽
Fun fact: Back in September of 2018, Thomas admitted in an interview with Kevin Hart that Marcus Smart was his favorite teammate to play with throughout his NBA career (5:50 mark).
Knowing that makes it far from surprising that Thomas would shout out Smart upon winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Even better, Smart admitted earlier this season that he advocated for the Celtics to bring back Thomas. So clearly, the admiration is mutual between the two.
And who knows? After making pit stops with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, Thomas made a good enough impression with the Charlotte Hornets for them to keep him around, thus proving he can still play at an NBA level. So maybe 2017 won’t be the last time these two play together.
Revered Celtics Shout Out Smart on Social Media
It turns out Isaiah Thomas wasn’t the only former Celtic to give Marcus Smart props for winning Defensive Player of the Year. Tony Allen and Kendrick Perkins, two members of the last Celtics team to win the championship, also congratulated Smart for receiving the honor.
Allen, who played for the Celtics from 2004 to 2010, was a three-time NBA All-Defensive first-team selection and a three-time NBA All-Defensive second-team selection who received the accolades from 2011 to 2017. His accolades garnered him a reputation for being one of the better defenders of his era. His shout-out to Smart was pretty straightforward.
Congrats 🍾 Marcus Smart!
Perkins, who played for the Celtics from 2003 to 2011, did not get the same accolades as Allen, but he was a vital part of the Big 3 Celtics teams primarily because of what he brought to their defense. Plus, he had a vote in this year’s NBA Award selections. Once Smart was announced as the recipient of this season’s DPOY, Perkins also made his congratulations brief while acknowledging that Smart was his pick for the award.
Obscure Former Celtic Congratulated Smart Too
Only real fans will know who this is. Not only is this a former Celtic, but it’s also one who played with Smart back in his days as a rookie, but not for very long. That season, Smart played with 21 different teammates. A fair amount of whom didn’t stay very long, so many fit the bill as an obscure Celtic.
So who is it? Gerald Wallace? Brandan Wright? Jameer Nelson? Marcus Thornton? Tayshaun Prince? Nope, it’s none other than Gigi Datome.
Boston acquired Datome along with Jonas Jerebko from Detroit at the 2015 NBA Trade Deadline in exchange for Prince. Datome appeared in 18 games with the Celtics, where he averaged 5.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.7 minutes a game. Datome was somewhat of a fan favorite in Boston in his short time there, but the Celtics were his last NBA team before heading back overseas.
Clearly, both Boston and Smart left an impression on him in his short time with the Celtics.