Macklin Celebrini’s Olympic success for Team Canada a joy for Steve Kerr, Warriors
As Team Canada prepared for a gold-medal game with the United States, macklin celebrini’s Olympic run had become a focal point for Bay Area teams and fans. Warriors staff and players gathered during a Friday morning film session and other local figures urged residents to wake up early for the 5 a. m. PST puck drop in Italy.
Warriors watching a tight game
San Francisco’s NBA club altered its routine because Celebrini was in a tight Olympic game in Milan, Italy. The game was about 6, 000 miles away from the Chase Center, and the organization paused its Friday morning film session when the score was 2-2 and it was 10 o’clock. "We had half the team watching the final two minutes of the game, " coach Steve Kerr said after Saturday’s practice. "Because it was 2-2, and it was 10 o’clock, and we’re supposed to be starting film. Nope, we’re gonna watch to see what happens. " Kerr said the group would be similarly engaged early Sunday morning when Celebrini and Team Canada took on Team USA for the gold medal.
Macklin Celebrini in Milan
Celebrini, the 19-year-old from Vancouver and the first pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has drawn attention far beyond hockey. Less than 24 hours before the 5 a. m. PST Olympic gold-medal match with the USA in Italy, Gary Payton II urged the region to watch. "Go watch Mack, alright?" Payton said. "Everybody, wake up in the Bay, and watch Mack. " Payton predicted that those who woke up for the early puck drop would see one of the sport’s all-time greats, listing Wayne (Gretzky), Sid (Crosby) and Alex (Ovechkin) in the same breath as he added "Mac. "
Family ties and pride
The Warriors’ interest is personal. Celebrini’s father, Rick, is the team’s vice president of player health and performance and has been with the organization since 2018; another account of his role lists him as vice president of player health and medicine. Rick stayed in Los Angeles for a couple of extra days after a recent road trip to be there for Jimmy Butler’s ACL surgery, then flew to Milan to be with the rest of his family and cheer on his son. Kerr said it was "pretty cool to just see it all develop and to see the pride in Rick’s eyes and hear it in his voice — it’s wonderful. "
Teammates’ memories and reactions
Members of the Warriors roster and staff recounted early memories of Celebrini around the organization. Kerr remembered seeing Celebrini play fullcourt pickup games against his mother Robyn and older brother Aiden and younger sister Charlie at the team’s old Oakland facility. Swingman Moses Moody said he got to know Macklin several years ago while the pair rehabbed injuries under Rick’s watch. Moody noted the family’s demeanor and singled out the youngest brother, RJ, as an up-and-coming teenage hockey player. "I want Rick to come back in a good mood, " Moody said with a smile. He added of Macklin: "Mac, he’s got that silent confidence, too. I don’t know him for real, but being around him, he doesn’t overdo it. You can tell he’s working. He’s precise in conversation. You can just tell when somebody’s a thinker, more than a talker, type of guy. " In a separate remark Moody described RJ this way: "The youngest brother (RJ), I talked to him for a while and he really does have this silent confidence and competitiveness and composure... he’s got that look in his eye. "
Sharks boom and numbers
The San Jose Sharks organization and Bay Area commentators have framed Celebrini’s Olympics as a breakout that could spark a boom. Sharks chief marketing officer Doug Bentz called the competition an "athletic spectacle" that is drawing people in and said "he’s becoming a must-watch. " Bentz said the Olympics confirmed the belief that Celebrini "can be a global superstar. " KNBR host Derek Papa said, "I love America, but at the same time, Macklin Celebrini is going to change things in the Bay Area... He’s going to be the Steph Curry of hockey. He’s going to be the guy we all root for. " After landing in Milan two weeks ago, Celebrini’s fame exploded: his Instagram following grew by 40% and he had the most visited player profile on NHL. com during the Olympic break. Bentz, who has marketed the Sharks for more than two decades, said the franchise’s strategy in the last five years has evolved to focus beyond the Bay Area; in that context, he called Celebrini the golden ticket.
Minutes, stats and impact
On the ice at the Olympics, through five Olympic appearances Celebrini totaled 10 points and in a dramatic come-from-behind semifinal he led Canada in ice time, playing nearly 26 minutes, ripped a team-high eight shots on goal and assisted on Nathan McKinnon’s game-winner. At the club level, after departing the Bay Area for one season at Boston University as a 17-year-old and turning pro, Celebrini amassed 81 points (28 goals, 53 assists) in 55 games this season, the fourth most in the league. In his rookie season the Sharks finished at the bottom of the Western Conference but still set a franchise record for single-game ticket sales; this season the team, which is 27-24-4, is on track to surpass that mark by nearly $3 million. Celebrini has even been in the conversation for the Hart Trophy. Steve Kerr said what stands out is Celebrini’s mix of talent and leadership: "What I feel is that Macklin has the combination that is so rare of incredible talent and unbelievable leadership, " Kerr said. "Maturity, humanity, he gets it. He gets it at 19. Usually, it takes guys years to be mature enough to understand"
Crowds and teammates in the Bay Area have been following every step, and the region’s teams and broadcasters have publicly urged people to tune in as Canada and the United States prepare for the Olympic gold-medal match.
