As you may now know, Gordon Hayward announced Tuesday that he would be leaving the Utah Jazz and joining the Boston Celtics. But you might not know what exactly drew him to Boston.
Hayward, who announced his decision on The Players’ Tribune, noted how hard it was to leave the only team he’s been a part of to join the Celtics. It was clear that C’s head coach Brad Stevens played a huge role in Hayward’s decision, but almost equally as important was the city of Boston, and its rich history of champions.
Hayward detailed the pull the city had on him in his announcement.
“There were so many great things pulling me in that direction,” Hayward wrote. “There was the winning culture of Boston, as a city — from the Sox, to the Pats, to the Bruins. There was the special history of the Celtics, as a franchise — from (Bill) Russell, to (Larry) Bird, to (Paul) Pierce, and it goes on. There was the amazing potential of this current Celtics roster, as a team — from ownership, to the front office, to a talented roster with Isaiah (Thomas) and Al (Horford) and everyone else.”
The addition of the 27-year-old swingman puts the Celtics in the conversation with the NBA’s elite and sent Thomas and Horford into a frenzy.
Hayward reportedly will sign a four-year, $127 million deal when the moratorium ends July 6.
Click to read Hayward’s full letter on The Players’ Tribune>>
Thumbnail photo via Russ Isabella/USA TODAY Sports Images
