Why does Marcus Smart dye his hair green?

It’s more than just matching his jersey. Beyond his love for basketball and his support for the Boston Celtics, Marcus Smart has green hair for a reason.

During the Boston Celtics’ 2022 playoff run, Marcus Smart debuted a brand-new hairstyle. Right before the Celtics faced the Bucks in the second round, he dyed his hair green. It caught the attention of the Bucks, Celtics, and basically most NBA fans. However, most people don’t know the reasoning behind Marcus Smart’s cut and color.

Despite what many think, Smart’s green hair isn’t there just because it matches the Celtics’ primary color. In fact, Marcus Smart wears green to honor his late mother, Camelia, who passed away in September of 2018, after a long battle with a rare form of bone marrow cancer. Before Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Warriors, Smart revealed the significance behind his hair color.

"“[My mom] always loved my hair [and] the things I was doing with it, from the braids to letting it grow out,” Smart said, via NBA. “And I started to dye it and she really liked that. She always said she wanted to see me in green, but obviously she passed away so she never got to see me [with green hair]. So, when we started this playoff run, I was like, ‘For her, I’m gonna go ahead and dye it and see what it looks like.’ Everybody loved it, so now it’s kinda here.”"

While Smart played for the Celtics for the first nine years of his career, he made the playoffs in all nine of those seasons. However, his time in Boston has come to an end. In a recent three-team trade, the Grizzlies sent a 2023 first-round pick to the Celtics, the No. 25 overall selection in Thursday’s draft, along with a 2024 pick via Golden State for Smart.

As the former heart and soul of the Boston Celtics, Smart’s integration into Memphis’ locker room will be interesting to watch. A Ja-less Memphis Grizzlies team will open the 23-24 season with Marcus Smart at the helm. Last season, Smart averaged 11.5 points per game, 6.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds. Only time will tell if the playoff-tested, former DPOY can make an impact early and save the Grizzlies’ season.

Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.