Macklin Celebrini’s Olympic breakout has Warriors and Sharks glued to the gold medal game
macklin celebrini’s run at the Olympics has pulled Bay Area basketball and hockey circles together: the 19-year-old faces Team USA in the Olympic gold-medal game in Milan at 5 a. m. PST on Sunday, and players and executives from both the Golden State Warriors and the San Jose Sharks have been following every moment.
Warriors paused film to watch the final minutes
As the Warriors readied a Friday morning film session, coach Steve Kerr said the staff and players couldn’t focus because the Olympic game was tight; “we had half the team watching the final two minutes of the game, ” Kerr said after Saturday’s practice. The score was 2-2 and, Kerr added, “it was 10 o’clock, and we’re supposed to be starting film. Nope, we’re gonna watch to see what happens. ” That game action was taking place about 6, 000 miles away from Chase Center in Milan, Italy.
Macklin Celebrini keeps the Bay Area waking up early
Less than 24 hours before the gold-medal faceoff with the United States, Gary Payton II urged Bay Area fans to tune in: “Go watch Mack, alright?” Payton said, predicting those who woke up for the 5 a. m. PST puck drop would see one of hockey’s greats. Many in Golden State have personal ties: Celebrini’s father, Rick, has been the Warriors’ vice president of player health and performance and medicine since 2018, and Rick flew to Milan to be with his family after staying in Los Angeles for a couple of extra days following a recent road trip to be there for Jimmy Butler’s ACL surgery.
Sharks see a franchise moment and commercial lift
San Jose executives and fans have reacted to Celebrini’s Milan performances as a marketing and cultural surge. The 19-year-old from Vancouver is being called by some Sharks fans the next Steph Curry or a Barry Bonds figure for hockey. Sharks chief marketing officer Doug Bentz said, “[The] athletic spectacle of it all is drawing people in and he’s becoming a must-watch. ” KNBR host Derek Papa said he’s rooting for Celebrini while noting the regional impact the player could have.
On-ice breakout: ice time, shots and assists in the semifinal
In Milan, Celebrini was the youngest NHL player in the Olympics and the youngest-ever member of a Team Canada roster. Through five Olympic appearances he has totaled 10 points. In Friday’s dramatic come-from-behind semifinal, Celebrini played nearly 26 minutes of ice time, registered a team-high eight shots on goal and assisted on Nathan McKinnon’s game-winner while playing alongside household names such as Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
Rookie season, current totals and what the Sharks are tracking
Celebrini was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks. After leaving the Bay Area for one season at Boston University as a 17-year-old, he returned and, in his second pro season, has 81 points (28 goals, 53 assists) in 55 games. Those totals rank fourth in the league and have put him in Hart Trophy conversation as his Sharks sit at 27-24-4. The team’s commercial metrics have moved as well: since landing in Milan his Instagram following grew by 40% and his player profile was the most visited on NHL. com during the Olympic break. The Sharks, who finished at the bottom of the Western Conference in Celebrini’s rookie season but set a franchise record for single-game ticket sales that year, are on track this season to surpass that sales mark by nearly $3 million.
What teammates and staff remember from the Bay Area
Warriors players and staff have long-known the family. Kerr recalled watching Celebrini shoot around in fullcourt pickup games with mother Robyn, older brother Aiden and younger sister Charlie at the team’s old Oakland facility. Moses Moody said he got to know Celebrini while rehabbing injuries under Rick’s care and praised the family; Moody noted younger brother RJ is an up-and-coming teenage hockey player and praised the family’s composure. Moody smiled, “I want Rick to come back in a good mood. ”
Celebrini’s Olympics in Milan continue to draw attention across the Bay Area and beyond. The next confirmed event is the Olympic gold-medal game: Team Canada versus Team USA at 5 a. m. PST on Sunday in Milan.
