THE WEDDING PLANS were formulated some months beforehand. Long before the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, only for the latter team to lose Game 7 at home. Long before the front office of the organization had to assess yet another unsatisfactory season that came agonizingly near to the franchise’s 18th NBA championship, but yet fell short. Long before it was ever considered, Marcus Smart, the team’s heart and soul and the past Defensive Player of the Year, could be traded.
Smart and Maisa Hallum planned to marry on September 16, 2014, at the upscale Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, California. They wanted to be surrounded by friends and family, as well as the majority of the Celtics organization that had drafted him with the sixth overall pick in 2014 and helped shape him into the player and man he is today.
The location, on a hill with a view of the Pacific Ocean, was breathtaking. White flowers decorated the aisle and the gazebo, which were surrounded by lovely, well-kept grounds. The resort’s accommodations were villas and bungalows. The pool is a tribute to Rome’s Coliseum. The entire location exudes grandeur.
However, the entire dynamic had changed by the time the RSVP cards were due. Over the course of the seven-game Heat series, Boston had become weary and unable to handle Miami’s shifting defense and scorching 3-point shooting (43% in the series, 48% in their victories).
While Boston hadn’t been concerned about Smart, it had become imperative to get a big man who could move the floor and pose a threat to opponents in the post.
Thus, the scene that marked the end of Marcus Smart’s tenure with the Celtics also served as the beginning of his married life.
The Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum described the extravagant wedding to ESPN, adding, “It was kind of like saying goodbye right before the season started.” “It was quite difficult. I had attended one Finals game and four Conference Finals with Jaylen [Brown] and Smart. We have simply experienced so much together. It seemed as though the band was disbanding.”
