With a payroll of more than $200 million, it wasn’t surprising that the Boston Celtics spared no expense on their 18th championship rings, which players received before beating the visiting New York Knicks 132-109 in Tuesday’s NBA season opener.
The official price hasn’t been announced, but these types of things typically cost somewhere between $10,000 and $40,000 each — and the ones distributed in Boston on Tuesday seemed to be on the higher end of that spectrum. Regardless, Celtics spokespeople declined to reveal the cost of the rings when contacted by DailyMail.com.
The centerpiece of the ring is a clover and ‘Celtics’ against a field of emeralds. The top can be removed to reveal a section of the famous floor, painted green and white with the score of 106-88 from the June 17 win against the Mavericks. Also revealed is an image of the championship banner, surrounded by the engraved numbers of each player on the roster.
The outside of the ring is surrounded by the years of the franchise’s 18 NBA titles. On one side is an image of the Larry O’Brien Trophy and the team’s overall record of 80-21 in 2023-2024; the other features the player’s name, number and slogan ‘Whatever It Takes’ on a background of the parquet pattern etched into the gold.
The rings feature a total of 15 carats of white diamonds to represent the 15 teams in the Eastern Conference. There are 16 emerald-cut diamonds for the team’s 16 playoff wins, along with the words ‘WORLD CHAMPIONS’ on the inner ring. There are 80 white diamonds on the ring in honor of the Celtics’ total of regular season and postseason wins.
Celtics stars (from left) Porzingis, Tatum, Horford and Brown show off their new jewelry
There are 80 white diamonds honoring the Celtics’ total of regular season and postseason wins
The front of the ring is peeled off to reveal the team’s newest banner: 18th overall
The outer ring features 18 larger diamonds for the team’s 18 titles – one more than the archrival Lakers have won in Los Angeles and Minneapolis.
After the Celtics received their diamond, emerald and parquet-encrusted championship rings and before the franchise’s newest banner was raised to the rafters, Jayson Tatum grabbed a microphone to say a few words to the excited crowd.
“Enjoy this moment together,” he told the fans who filled the TD Garden for the first meaningful Celtics game since their Game 5 victory over Dallas in the NBA Finals clinched their unprecedented 18th title. “Let’s do it again.”
The Celtics then gathered where so many of their predecessors had gathered and raised the banner of “World Champions 2024” to the crowded rafters. Minutes later, they took the floor for the season opener against the Knicks and Tatum hit a 3-pointer to start the quest to become the first Celtics team to repeat since Bill Russell and John Havlicek won the franchise’s 11th title in 13 years in 1969 won.
The Celtics raise the 2024 championship banner before Tuesday’s opener in Boston
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics rides Knicks forward Mikal Bridges on Tuesday
Friends again: Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen returned to Boston, where they won a title in 2008
Six-time champion Bob Cousy and 1981 NBA Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell attended the pregame ceremony and applauded before Paul Pierce – joined by fellow 2008 champions Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen – brought out the 2024 trophy. It was placed on a table surrounded by the championship rings.
Owner Wyc Grousbeck handed out the baubles, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver congratulating the players as they walked out between the numbers of a giant, gold ’18’. Coach Joe Mazzulla lowered his knees to kiss the parquet floor before receiving his ring.
The sold-out crowd arrived early to see the Celtics take the field in special warm-up jackets trimmed in gold, with 18 championship trophies embroidered on the sleeve. Some players paused their taping to watch the video that followed their title journey, from drafting Jaylen Brown and Tatum to acquiring Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
Another video featured highlights of Havlicek and Russell winning titles in the 1950s and 1960s during the pandemonium of the team’s victory parade last spring.