The Big Lead

Draymond Green continues to be a massive Macklin Celebrini fan

By Joe Lago

Oct 10, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) reacts after center Tyler Toffoli (73) scores a goal during the first period against the St. Louis Blues at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Oct 10, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) reacts after center Tyler Toffoli (73) scores a goal during the first period against the St. Louis Blues at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images / Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
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Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft and San Jose Sharks franchise savior, is the son of Rick Celebrini, the Golden State Warriors vice president of player health and performance. So it's no surprise that Macklin's biggest fan works for the Warriors.

Not his dad. We're talking Draymond Green.

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On Thursday, the Warriors star showed up at the SAP Center in San Jose for the Sharks' season opener against the St. Louis Blues while rocking a Macklin Celebrini jersey. He tweeted "MACKLIN!!!! Unreal" from his luxury suite after Celebrini scored his first NHL goal.

Green became a fan of the younger Celebrini while the teenage hockey phenom was playing juniors hockey with the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League. He caught one of Celebrini's games when the Warriors were in town to play the Chicago Bulls.

To say Green was impressed by the skills of the then-17-year-old would be an understatement.

"Mack didn't have his best game, but I'm an athlete. Like you know when somebody's got it," Green told TSN. "You know, you can look at how someone moves, their swagger, what they're doing, how people react to them on the ice. You know who got it. And he just had it.

"I got a chance to see a generational talent play before everybody else of the generation even realize he's generational."

Celebrini added an assist to finish his first NHL game with two points, but San Jose gave up three third-period goals and lost 4-3 to the Blues in overtime. At least one very big Celebrini fan left the arena happy.

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