Macklin Celebrini finally donned the Sharks' jersey Friday, as San Jose officially made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
While the 18-year-old center has been coy about his future ever since the Sharks won the NHL draft lottery on May 7, just about everyone else knew this would be the outcome.
San Jose has its cornerstone player.
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Shortly after the Sharks selected Celebrini, he spoke to NBC Sports California's Brodie Brazil about what the moment is like.
"It definitely feels surreal," Celebrini told Brazil. "I don't think I could have predicted this or planned or mentally prepared myself for this moment. It's an amazing opportunity and an amazing experience."
Celebrini joins a Sharks team looking to start ascending after several tough seasons.
The challenge of being at the forefront of San Jose's rebuild isn't daunting for the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner.
San Jose Sharks
"I couldn't be more excited," Celebrini told Brazil. "They're building an amazing foundation for a lot of success in the future. And I'm just fortunate enough to be a part of it. And I can't wait to see where this group ends up."
Macklin, the son of Warriors director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini, is no stranger to the Bay Area, as the family has a home in Livermore.
As Celebrini's star began to rise, he gained fans among the Warriors, including star forward Draymond Green, who watched one of Macklin's junior hockey games in Chicago.
"I constantly hear them from my dad asking about our games and how we're doing and their support and their interest in our sport and in us is very, very cool and hopefully that carries over," Celebrini told Brazil.
Rick spoke to Brazil later in the evening and explained why it was beneficial for his sons to spend time around the Warriors.
"Especially when we came down as a family, was a very influential age for both boys, the older boys. I think the younger ones were a little bit young, but I think they all benefited from just seeing the environments that Bob Myers and Steve Kerr had created," Rick Celebrini told Brazil. "A welcoming environment, but also an elite environment that was a championship environment. And to see the core group at that point in their careers, the way they approached their craft, the dedication, the commitment, the intensity of their workouts. It's just something that I think every young athlete should experience."
Celebrini admitted he can see the comparisons between what the Sharks are trying to do -- build a contender through the draft -- to what the Warriors did over a decade ago, developing their core of Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
"I haven't until you just said that," Celebrini told Brazil. "But it's eerily similar. That's pretty cool coincidence."
Even Rick can't help but see the similarities between what the Warriors did and what the Sharks are currently constructing.
"Obviously when we knew San Jose was a possibility, I did a little bit of research and looked at their pipeline of young players," Rick told Brazil. "They're stockpiling a really exciting group with Will Smith last year and now Macklin fortunate enough to to to join that group. It really feels like they're getting some momentum, some excitement.
"[SAP Center] was one of the hardest places to play. You guys all experienced it in their heyday and I've talked to a lot of people around the league that that I can't speak highly enough of the environment that was created there. And hopefully they can work towards building that again. And it really feels like that's the case."
Celebrini is expected to be the face of a new generation of Sharks hockey, and with that comes lots of responsibility. He's aware that his teammates eventually will look to him for guidance.
"I feel like I'm someone who leads by example," Celebrini told Brazil. "I feel like I try my best to lead by example, but also be vocal and try to point some things out that I see. I feel like mainly I lead by my play, what I do on the ice."
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