One of Kristaps Porzingis' first orders of business in Boston is choosing a new uniform number -- because he ain't wearing No. 6.
That number -- worn by Celtics legend Bill Russell -- is retired not just in Boston but across the entire NBA as of last season. So, while Porzingis donned No. 6 with each of his previous three teams (the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards), he needs a new number after being traded to the Celtics last week. His choice, per Celtics.com's Marc D'Amico: No. 8.
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No. 8 has an interesting history in Boston as the choice of All-Stars and role players alike. The most recent Celtic to choose No. 8 didn't even get to wear it on the parquet -- Danilo Gallinari missed the entire 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL suffered last August.
Prior to Gallinari, former point guard Kemba Walker is the most notable recent player to rock No. 8 (2019-21), while Jeff Green (2011-15) and Jonas Jerebko (2014-17) took turns with the number as well.
But the most famous Celtic to wear No. 8 in the 21st century is Antoine Walker, who earned three All-Star nods over seven seasons with the Celtics (1996 to 2003) while forming a dynamic duo with Paul Pierce. Walker loved the number so much that when the Celtics brought him back in a midseason trade in 2004-05, he chose No. 88, with No. 8 taken by rookie Al Jefferson.
No. 8 also was a lucky number for Scott Wedman, who won a pair of championships as a role player for the Celtics from 1983 to 1987.
Porzingis arrives with higher expectations than any previous wearer of No. 8 outside Antoine Walker (and perhaps Kemba Walker). The 7-foot-3 big man averaged a career-high 23.2 points per game last season in Washington while adding 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Porzingis is expected to be introduced in a Celtics press conference Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET.