Celtics’ Kemba Walker Won’t Let Brad Stevens Live Down NCAA Title Loss

This time 10 years ago, before either joined the Boston Celtics, Kemba Walker’s path crossed with that of Brad Stevens.

It was the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, and the All-American college point guard turned four-time NBA All-Star led the Connecticut Huskies to the title game. Waiting for them was none other than coach Stevens and the Butler Bulldogs.

What resulted was a defensive battle in which the Huskies won 53-41. And while Walker hasn’t exactly been rubbing the championship win in his coach’s face, the Celtics veteran guard, subtly, isn’t letting him live it down.

“Kemba wears a UConn jacket every day, so I can’t get away from it,” Stevens said of Walker, per NBC Sports Boston. “He doesn’t really want to talk about the game either — it wasn’t exactly a work of art by either team. But he definitely wants to smirk and show that he won. He reminds me of that, even in his own little way, just by wearing that jacket every day.”

The Celtics, and perhaps Marcus Smart, will return from the NBA All-Star break Thursday to face the Brooklyn Nets.