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White and green Celtics attire dominated the normally blue and white venue of Alfond Arena last Wednesday.
Students and locals alike attended a presentation of the 2008 NBA Championship trophy to the public in what was a two-stop road trip to Maine. Earlier in the day, the trophy was on display in Portland before being transported to Orono.
Accompanying the Larry O’ Brien trophy were members of the Celtics Dancers, the team mascot “Lucky,” and Celtics legend Jo Jo White. White, a two-time NBA champion as a player and 1976 NBA Finals MVP, has had his number 10 retired by the Celtics. Also a member of the 1968 United States gold medal Olympic basketball team, White posed for pictures with fans for nearly two hours. His demeanor, expressing class and sincere warmth, was much appreciated and provided a memorable experience for all in attendance.
Celtics dancers were on hand at the event to sign photos and pose with fans who had been waiting in line, some for up to two or three hours. Extremely personable and gracious was Celtics team mascot Lucky. Dressed for the part, Lucky posed with Jo Jo White while fan after fan shook hands with the two team representatives, placed a hand on the championship trophy and smiled for the camera.
“It’s awesome. It’s absolutely awesome,” Lucky said. When asked about the chance for students at the University of Maine to experience this first hand, he went on to say, “It gives the fans a chance to hold up the hardware, just like KG did.”
The Celtics were coming off the 2006-2007 NBA season in which they had the second worst record in the league and only mustered an abysmal .293 winning percentage. The Celtics acquired Ray Allen in a trade with Seattle and Kevin Garnett from Minnesota, both during the offseason. Boston also strengthened its bench with the offseason additions of James Posey and Eddie House, both integral parts to their championship success. With these dynamic pieces put into place around the leadership of team Captain Paul Pierce, the Celtics earned their seventeenth championship in franchise history.
