Jrue Holiday Shares Why He Chose No. 4 with Celtics

Finding an available number with a franchise that's retired 23 -- and one name -- is no easy feat. Here's why Jrue Holiday chose the one he'll sport for the Celtics.

Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

As Jrue Holiday acclimates to his new environment, a whirlwind transition, where he's working to familiarize himself with a new city, teammates, coaching staff, and schematics, all while still searching for a house, a familiar face is serving as a source of comfort.

The two-time All-Star recently shared with Inside The Celtics how assistant coach Charles Lee, who also defected from Milwaukee to Boston this offseason, is helping with his transition.

"Having Charles here is obviously a familiar face. Also, having (Maine Celtics head coach) Blaine (Mueller), I don't know if you met Blaine yet, but having those two guys really helped me. Charles has always been the type to be very teacher-esque; if I have any questions or anything like that, I could always go to him. But he's always quizzing me on plays (and) he's quizzing me on schemes, what we want to do defensively, he'll literally just walk up to me and ask me a question about something, and I have to answer it. So, always just keeping my mind going, my mind engaged."

Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) shoots during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden.

Thursday, before the Celtics' preseason finale against the Charlotte Hornets, Holiday revealed the reasoning behind another decision he had to make upon arriving in Boston -- selecting a jersey number.

That's no easy feat, playing for a franchise with 23 retired numbers -- plus one name -- hanging in the TD Garden rafters.

For example, the former UCLA Bruin wore number 21 in college and with the Bucks. Bill Sharman, a Basketball Hall of Fame player and coach who won four NBA championships with the Celtics, donned that number.

Holiday sported 11 with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans, but it belongs to Payton Pritchard. Perhaps the latter would've given it to him for a price, but it doesn't appear the former asked him to do so.

Instead, the five-time All-Defensive Team selection chose number four. As reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Holiday explained at Thursday morning's shootaround that he opted for that because he's one of four siblings and that before making his choice, he reached out to someone else who starred for Boston while wearing that digit -- Isaiah Thomas, who finished fifth in MVP voting in 2016-17 and is one of the most beloved players in franchise history.

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