Future is now as C’s open new digs
The term “game-changer” was being tossed around often as the Celtics held the grand opening of the Red Auerbach Center yesterday in Brighton.
And while the club hopes what happens there will translate to better performance in the games, the new facility is undoubtedly a practice-changer.
From two full-sized courts instead of just the one at the Waltham site to larger and better medical and strength training operations and a host of amenities that includes a full kitchen and nutrition set-up, a social area for the players and even a nap room, the officially titled Auerbach Center at New Balance World Headquarters puts the Celts at the head of the NBA class in this category.
“Coming from college, there was quite an arms race to build the greatest practice facilities as a recruiting tool,” said Celts coach Brad Stevens. “And I think the NBA has eclipsed college in a lot of ways with how special these places are. If guys are willing to work, that’s the most important thing. But when you have a place like this and you have guys that are willing to work, it just makes it even more exciting.”
The Celtics took a major step forward when they moved into their Waltham facility in 1999, but the need for greater floor space, more privacy and greater player comforts (the new joint has a pool table, etc.) brought the Auerbach Center into focus. And with New Balance working to create Boston Landing in the Brighton neighborhood, and the Bruins’ practice facility next door, the fit was evident.
Asked about the new building helping to lure free agents, Stevens said, “It’s a huge boost, I think. And it’s about prioritizing your players. It’s about prioritizing their growth, being committed to them in every which way and showing that in as many ways as you can. This clearly shows it. And both from a long-term retention standpoint and when you bring new players in, this checks every box. It’s incredible.
“There’s so many more things we can do in here. Just as simple as, and I know this sounds like a little thing, but we’ve been watching film in the middle of our locker room with all of our stuff hanging on our chairs and every distraction you can imagine. Being able to walk across the hall into an empty space and sit down and have a study room and a film room is huge. To be able to have all the hydrotherapy things right here, for our guys to be able to take advantage of that, is huge, you know, not having to leave our facility to do that.
“And obviously we have everything imaginable — the kitchen — I can’t say enough good things. It has everything you need to grow and get better.”
Celts co-owner Wyc Grousbeck spoke about the honoring of tradition in naming the facility after franchise patriarch Red Auerbach.
“But it’s really our future, and the future greatness of the Celtics starts here, starts today in this unbelievable place,” he said. “I’ve texted pictures to basically the whole team and said, ‘Your lockers are waiting.’ So they all know what it looks like in here, and they’re all excited. You’ve got to be state of the art, and we’re beyond state of the art now.”
The Celtics will conduct their NBA draft work from the site tomorrow night and hold one presummer league practice there before moving in completely after Aug. 1.