Rick Celebrini and his family had a decision to make.
The well-known physiotherapist in the Vancouver area, with a resume that included working alongside Canadian Olympians, basketball icon Steve Nash, the NHL鈥檚 Canucks and Major League Soccer鈥檚 Whitecaps, was weighing two NBA job offers in 2018.
The Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs.
There was plenty to consider 鈥� including hockey.
Macklin Celebrini, the second of Rick and wife Robyn鈥檚 four children, was a budding star. What would a warmer climate do for the youngster鈥檚 development?
鈥淲e visited San Antonio,鈥� Rick Celebrini recalled. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no real youth hockey.鈥�
He reached out to San Jose Sharks defenceman and former client Brent 亚洲天堂 to ask about the San Francisco Bay Area.
亚洲天堂 spoke highly of the Jr. Sharks program. Celebrini got in touch to ensure Macklin could play up a year.
鈥淚t was important he be challenged,鈥� Rick said. 鈥淚t was a good group.鈥�
That made things easier. The Warriors were the choice. The family would relocate to California.
Some six years later, the Celebrinis will be in sizzling Las Vegas to watch Macklin live out his dream.
The star centre from Boston University is expected to be selected by San Jose, the team from what amounts to his second hometown, with the No. 1 pick Friday at the NHL draft inside the glitzy Sphere auditorium.
鈥淚鈥檓 nervous, I鈥檓 excited,鈥� Macklin Celebrini said. 鈥淚 have different emotions about it. I鈥檓 looking forward to it, though. People say, 鈥楨njoy it, only happens once in your life.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 really going to.鈥�
Celebrini, who turned 18 this month, became the youngest-ever winner of the Hobey Baker Award when he was named the NCAA鈥檚 top player in 2023-24 after putting up 32 goals and 64 points in 38 contests.
鈥淭he physicality of the play, the maturity of the game,鈥� the six-foot, 190-pound forward said when asked why he chose U.S. college hockey over Canadian major junior. 鈥淧laying against those older guys 鈥� you can鈥檛 really get away with a lot.鈥�
Despite missing his friends following the move from North Vancouver, B.C., Celebrini said being around the Warriors helped push him.
Not every kid gets to watch NBA stars Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson go about their business on a daily basis.
鈥淛ust seeing the different things they do to prepare themselves, prepare their bodies,鈥� said Celebrini, who again hit the road to play at Shattuck-St. Mary鈥檚 School, Sidney Crosby鈥檚 Minnesota alma mater, with older brother Aiden after one season with the Jr. Sharks.
Dad said Macklin鈥檚 sports osmosis started even further back when he used to witness Nash 鈥� a future Hall of Famer 鈥� go through gruelling summer training sessions while he played off to the side.
鈥淎nd then my work with the Whitecaps and the Canucks,鈥� said Rick Celebrini, the Warriors鈥� vice-president of player health and performance. 鈥淪eeing how these guys prepare, how these guys train, the hard work that goes into it 鈥� not just when the lights are on and the TV cameras are on.鈥�
Macklin and Aiden, his teammate at Boston University and a Canucks draft pick, then really started to pay attention on their own hanging around Golden State鈥檚 practice facility.
鈥淭hat key time in an athlete鈥檚 development,鈥� Rick said. 鈥淎n incredible motivating and educational opportunity.鈥�
There was also plenty of education growing up in Greater Vancouver. Rick, who along with Robyn was a soccer player, said it didn鈥檛 take long to realize Macklin thought hockey differently.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure he picked it up watching TV,鈥� Rick said of one standout sequence. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 looking at the score clock, he鈥檚 looking at bench, he鈥檚 directing his guys at the faceoff.
鈥淭hey were five years old. Like, that鈥檚 ridiculous.鈥�
And as the hockey got more serious, so did Macklin.
鈥淯ltracompetitive,鈥� Rick said. 鈥淎 kid is better than him, he鈥檚 going to try to keep raising his game and practice more. Whether it鈥檚 an individual or a team, he鈥檚 always looking to beat the next best.鈥�
That goes back to his days at the North Shore Winter Club 鈥� the family鈥檚 North Star for many years.
Connor Bedard, who went No. 1 to the Chicago Blackhawks a year ago, just so happened to be one of the kids kicking around the North Vancouver institution.
鈥淐onnor was a big influence on Mac,鈥� said the elder Celebrini. 鈥淎nd hopefully Mac was a good influence on Connor. They created a situation where they pushed each other and competed.鈥�
Rick Celebrini has watched plenty of athletes prepare and perform under a microscope.
Macklin鈥檚 run through a gauntlet that鈥檚 included the world junior hockey championship, the NCAA Frozen Four tournament and the NHL draft combine has impressed the family patriarch.
鈥淓xtremely proud of how he鈥檚 handled all the pressure,鈥� Rick said. 鈥淎nswered all the questions, conducted himself in a respectful, humble manner. It鈥檚 been a lot.
鈥淗e鈥檒l be exhausted at the end of it all.鈥�
Then the training starts anew.
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