Marcus Smart Explains Reason Behind Flashy Wardrobe For Opening Night

Marcus Smart was not messing around when it came to his attire for Opening Night.

Smart arrived to TD Garden on Tuesday for the Boston Celtics’ opener against the Philadelphia 76ers donning a flashy Versace robe with a few shiny gold chains, as well as spiked gold and back shoes to boot.

While many thought Smart simply was dressing to impress for the first game of the campaign, his get-up had some extra meaning.

“It’s a special day,” Smart told The Athletic’s Jay King. “It’s the one-month anniversary of my mom’s passing. She always called me her little king so I had to dress like one.”

The young guard’s mother, Camellia Smart, passed away Sept. 16 after a battle with a rare form of bone marrow cancer. Not only was Smart’s pregame outfit an ode to his late mother, he also scribed “9-16-18” on his game sneakers, which he plans to keep doing moving forward, per King.

Well done, Marcus.