New Celtics Player Mike Muscala Chose No. 57 To Honor Late Mother

Picking a new number when joining a historic franchise like the Boston Celtics can be kind of tough. However, newly acquired center Mike Muscala's new number carries some very personal significance.

The Celtics have been around a long time, and as such, have retired a lot of numbers. 23 of them to be exact ranging from Robert Parish's No. 00 to Reggie Lewis' No. 35.

For Muscala, he had previously worn No. 31 with the Hawks, 76ers, and Lakers, and No. 33 with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Celtics had retired No. 31 in honor of Cedric Maxwell while No. 33 was raised to the rafters as a tip of the cap to the legendary Larry Bird.

So Muscala took a somewhat unusual number when he was acquired by the team at the trade deadline last week: No. 57.

Mike Muscala debuted his new jersey number, a tribute to his late mother, last week. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Muscalaca became just the second NBA player to earn No. 57. The first was Hilton Armstrong who wore it while playing for the Golden State Warriors in 2014.

He had a damn good reason for it too.

“That was the year my mom was born. She passed right before the season,” Muscala told reporters after his Celtics debut. “I thought it would be a nice way to remember her while I’m here.”

Muscala told The Oklahoman in September that even as she was battling cancer, his mother, Mary Maiden, would text him before every game.

“She didn’t miss a game,” he said.

That sounds like a phenomenal tribute for a woman who sounds like she was her son's biggest fan.

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