Marcus Smart on title aspirations, brotherhood with Celtics teammates, being called ‘Unc’ in DC — and more

BOSTON — When Marcus Smart comes to Boston, he doesn’t schedule a bunch of reunions or try to cram in visits to all of his favorite spots from his 9 years in Boston.

“I kind of just try to hide,” he said, surrounded by more than a dozen Boston reporters in front of his TD Garden locker room. “Because it’s too much. It’s overwhelming. I don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

Hours before Sunday’s Celtics game against the Wizards, hundreds of Celtics fans surrounded the players’ tunnel in hopes of getting a chance to say hello to Smart, who has been back at TD Garden twice since the trade that brought Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics in the summer of 2023.

“He’s the GOAT!” bellowed one kid.

“I wish they gave him a ring,” said another. “He deserved it.”

And of the trade itself?

“It broke my heart,” resoundingly stated a third — clarifying the 2024 championship meant everything, but noting that Smart not being a part of it was still painful.

Marcus Smart didn’t come out for warm-ups at TD Garden on Sunday.

And, he never checked into the game, with Wizards coach Brian Keefe later explaining that was simply a result of the team trying out different combinations in the home stretch of the season to figure out who might play well with who.

Still, his sheer presence on the sidelines made Sunday night’s otherwise uneventful Celtics-Wizards game feel just a little bit more meaningful.

In the waning moments, “We Want Marcus” chants inundated TD Garden. And, after the final buzzer sounded, Smart embraced several of his former teammates at centercourt, like Al Horford, Sam Hauser, and Derrick White, before chatting especially long with good friend Jaylen Brown. He dapped up the Celtics’ ball boys and longtime public relations staff, caught up with arena ushers he’s long known, even embraced Lucky the Leprechaun and Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck.

“It definitely brings back memories,” Smart said of the chants. “I know my wife was over there trying not to cry.”

Smart has only suited up once at TD Garden since being traded from the Celtics, and he struggled mightily in that December Grizzlies-Celtics matchup, scoring just 3 points on 1 of 11 shooting.

This time, he just soaked it all in from the bench.

“You always want to play,” he said. “But at the same time, it’s good to just take all the love in and not have to be out there to focus on the game.”

After the game, Smart hung out in the Celtics locker room for about 20 minutes, catching up with his old friends. Six of the current Celtics were on the 2022-23 team he was last a part of — and Smart said he’s kept in much better touch with his longtime friends than people would expect.

“I grew up with those guys,” Smart said. “I went through a lot of battles — blood, sweat, and tears. Everybody knows, a few of those guys came to my mom’s funeral. It’s a deeper bond than just basketball.”

Marcus Smart’s tenure in Memphis never panned out as the Grizzlies hoped. He dealt with a myriad of injuries, suiting up for just 39 games during the season and a half he spent in Tennessee. And he struggled on the floor; before his trade, the 31-year-old averaged 8.7 points per game on 35.8% shooting this season.

The trade deadline day move to a rebuilding Wizards team caught him off guard, Smart said, but he’s maintained a level of perspective and gratitude through it all.

“God — he doesn’t make any mistakes,” Smart said. “So first of all, I thank Him every day. I’m able to come out here and play the game I love, and also take care of my family while doing it, so to be on that court, I think I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

Smart and his wife had a baby boy, Zayn, just a few months after he was traded to Memphis. The experience of becoming a father has allowed him to stay calm through the adversity, whether that’s the myriad of injuries he’s had to manage, or anything else.

“Having a kid has also brought light to my eyes,” he said. “I’m not freaking out as much, I’m not exerting as much energy into those things. I’m just kind of letting everything happen the way it’s supposed to.”

Marcus Smart finds himself in a mentorship role in Washington — but still wants to ultimately compete for a championship

For the first time in a long time, Smart is part of a team that isn’t competing for playoff positioning or a chance at a title.

The Wizards are headlined by young talent like Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George — and are currently headed toward the Draft Lottery once again.

Smart has embraced that mentorship role.

“He’s been terrific,” Keefe said. “Obviously, thrilled to have him on our team, as you guys know in this town what he meant to the city of Boston. But a tremendous leader, tremendous player — just the knowledge he has of the game and the experience he’s built to pass onto our guys, he’s been terrific.”

Marcus Smart is only 31 years old, but on a roster that includes 10 players who are 23 or younger, that’s old.

“They call me Unc, and things like that,” Smart said, laughing. “I ain’t ready for that.”

But, besides the jokes, his presence has benefitted the Wizards’ youngsters.

“They’ve gravitated toward him, and he’s gravitated toward them,” Keefe said. “He came to play, and he’s shown what he’s capable of. The experiences he’s had and the situations he’s been in, to share that knowledge, I would say all of our guys have benefited from that.”

The unexpected season of mentorship has validated Smart’s body of work in the NBA.

“It’s a great fit group of young guys here,” Smart said. “The thing I love about them is they’re ready to learn, and they’re willing to learn. They’re constantly asking questions, they’re constantly asking me to demonstrate things or how to do things. That’s what you ask for — as a competitor, as a player yourself, when guys come up to you, then that’s a great feeling. It allows you to see that what you’re doing and the impact that you have made hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

Smart still wants that elusive NBA title, the same one his old friends brought to Boston last June. And, he’s not close to being ready to fade into the abyss and ride out the rest of his career as a mentor on the sidelines.

But he’s going to let everything come to him, rather than worry about what his next destination and role will be.

“I’m one of the probably biggest competitors in this league,” Smart said. “As long as I’m able to be out there, I want to be out there, and I’m going to be out there. Where, when, how — that’s not in my control. All I can do is control is my preparation, to be prepared for whatever is thrown at me.”