The White House turned green on Thursday when President Joe Biden — with the Secret Service code name “Celtic” — welcomed “Coach Joe” Mazzulla and the Boston Celtics to the South Lawn to celebrate their historic 18th NBA championship.
This tradition is believed to have started when Bill Russell’s 1963 Celtics visited President John F. Kennedy. Biden greeted the NBA’s 2024 champions and showed them around the Oval Office. The Celtics, the most successful franchise in NBA history, have won at least one title in eight of the last 13 presidencies.
“The Celtics aren’t just a basketball team. They’re a way of life,” Biden told the crowd, quoting Celtics legend Red Auerbach before receiving a No. 46 jersey from All-Star Jayson Tatum and guard Derrick White.
Biden also mentioned that his Secret Service code name is “Celtic.”
“For real. Because I’m Irish,” the president said. “Everybody behind me is Irish in their heart. I feel a special pride in this trophy. From this old Irish Celtic, to all you Celtics, congratulations.”
Biden, who was once one of the youngest senators and is now the oldest president in U.S. history, said he felt a connection with Mazzulla, who was 35 when he led the Celtics to the championship in his second season.
“Joe’s the youngest head coach to win a title since the great Bill Russell,” Biden said. “I told him I used to be the youngest and now I’m the oldest. I liked being the youngest better.”
The Celtics were welcomed with a band playing “Shipping Up to Boston” before Biden and team owner Wyc Grousbeck joined them on risers facing the Washington Monument, with green lights shining from the White House behind them. Among the attendees were Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and most of the state’s congressional delegation.
“I didn’t really know what to expect. I walked in, I was like ‘I’m more excited than I thought I was going to be,’” White said afterward. “To be in the White House, to be where all the decisions — all the cool things — are happening, that was the best part.”
Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca shared that Biden’s 4-year-old grandson, Beau Jr., tried on his championship ring. Oshae Brissett, who was part of the 2024 team but is no longer with the Celtics, was also at the ceremony and received his championship ring.
Biden also received a commemorative basketball, which he tossed to Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, sitting in the front row, and then to Celtics center Al Horford.
“I wasn’t expecting a pump fake,” White said. “It’s harder to make a pass in a suit, so I was impressed.”
Biden was well-informed about the Celtics’ history and success last season, when they had 64 regular-season wins, their most since their 2008 championship, and the fourth-highest in franchise history. They went 16-3 in the playoffs, eliminating the Dallas Mavericks in five games.
Biden even mentioned that the 2024 Celtics had the highest points per possession ratio in NBA history, a stat that made team vice president and stats expert Mike Zarren proud.
“The basketball stats community has come a long way: the President of the United States is talking about points per possession!” Zarren posted on X after speaking to reporters.
After the ceremony, members of the Celtics organization stayed at the White House to meet with administration officials to discuss important topics like “Raise the Age,” which aims to treat 18- to 20-year-olds as juveniles in the criminal justice system, and “Curbside Care,” a program providing medical aid to new mothers in underserved communities.
“This was a very exciting and moving day,” Grousbeck said in a video call later. “We hadn’t been focused on this. We got through the banner and opening night, and then it was all business.
Joe (Mazzulla) doesn’t want us to dwell too much on the past, he wants everyone to focus on moving forward. Having said that, everyone here, including Joe, seemed to have a great time.”
Zarren also shared a story about a Secret Service agent who was a Celtics fan and had to deal with the Golden State Warriors’ visit two years ago.
“He told them it was a bittersweet moment because he wished his Celtics were here. And they said to him, ‘Don’t worry, they’ll be here soon,’” Zarren said. “So for him, it was a good moment to see us show up inside there.”
