The connection between Steve Kerr and Macklin Celebrini runs deeper than a casual admiration across sports-it’s rooted in years of shared space, family ties, and a front-row seat to a hockey phenom’s rise.
Long before Celebrini was lighting up NHL scoreboards and earning his place on Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, he was just a teenager hanging around the Golden State Warriors facility. His father, Rick Celebrini, has been a key figure in the Warriors’ organization for years and currently serves as the team’s Vice President of Player Health and Performance. That proximity gave young Macklin a unique window into the world of elite professional sports-and gave Kerr a chance to watch his development up close.
Now, as the San Jose Sharks forward continues his meteoric ascent, Kerr is watching with the pride of someone who’s seen the journey from the beginning.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Kerr said during a press conference on Monday night. “I can’t wait to watch him play in the Olympics, and Rick is heading over there with the family to see him, which is really exciting.”
Kerr didn’t stop there. He admitted he keeps tabs on the Sharks’ box scores daily, following Celebrini’s breakout campaign with genuine enthusiasm.
“I follow it. I look at the box scores every day and they’re really having a great turnaround season,” Kerr said.
“It’s so fun to see Mack doing so well, especially the context of it all. He was hanging around here as a kid who was about 14 and now, all of a sudden, he’s in the MVP race in the NHL as a rookie… I guess second year.”
It’s not just nostalgia talking-Celebrini’s numbers back it up. Through 55 games this season, he’s already tallied 28 goals and 53 assists, good for 81 points.
That’s a significant leap from his rookie totals of 25 goals and 38 assists in 70 games. The production isn’t just impressive-it’s elite.
He’s gone from promising young player to legitimate MVP candidate in just over a year.
Kerr, who knows a thing or two about what greatness looks like, sees it in Celebrini. And he’s not the only one.
The 19-year-old forward finished third in Calder Trophy voting last season behind Lane Hutson and Dustin Wolf, but this year he’s vaulted into the Hart Trophy conversation, trailing only Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon in the betting odds. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid rounds out the top three.
All three will now join forces for Team Canada at the Olympics, giving hockey fans a dream lineup to watch. Canada opens its tournament against Czechia on Thursday morning.
For Kerr, the connection is personal. He’s watching not just as a coach or a fan, but as someone who’s seen a kid grow into a superstar.
“It’s always fun seeing Rick and talking to him about the games,” Kerr said. “Sometimes on the team flight, Rick will be watching the Sharks game on his phone.
It’s really been a lot of fun to see it vicariously through Rick. Proud dad.”
And for Macklin Celebrini, the Olympics aren’t just another stop on the journey-they’re a chance to show the world what those around him have known for years: he’s the real deal.