Aron Baynes is the Celtics’ new center—and he has a serious love of barbecue
There’s a few things Celtics fans should know about the team’s newest free agent signing, Aron Baynes.
The 6-foot-10, 260-pound center has played five years in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons. Baynes was born in New Zealand, but plays internationally for Australia, the country in which he grew up. He has a 2014 NBA Finals championship ring and an evolving haircut.
Baynes also has an unabashed love of barbecue. Just take a look at his Instagram account, which exhibits an impressive array of meat, including the brisket he had for last year’s Christmas dinner.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAF54IZmoJS/
The 30-year-old even jokingly hinted at his affinity for the cuisine within minutes of the news breaking Sunday that he would join the Celtics.
Free agent center Aron Baynes has reached agreement on a one-year, $4.3M deal with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 9, 2017
Does anybody know if there’s good BBQ in Boston? Asking for a friend 🤔☘️
— Aron Baynes (@aronbaynes) July 9, 2017
Local joints like B.T.’s Smokehouse in Sturbridge and The Smoke Shop in Cambridge were quick to call Baynes’s attention. Other Twitter users suggested Somerville’s Redbones, Boston’s Sweet Cheeks, or Cambridge’s Coast Cafe.
Come see us in #sturbridge we’ll take care of you. Ask @davidortiz he knows. It’s worth the ride. Congrats and welcome to #Boston pic.twitter.com/j1I1tkijjh
— B.T.’s Smokehouse 🟦 (@btsmokehouse) July 9, 2017
In a region not known for its barbecue, its unclear whether Baynes will find those establishments comparable to the shacks in Texas where he honed his taste and came to appreciate the art of smoking meats
Baynes discussed his love of barbecue at length with NBA.com back in 2015 when he was still with the Spurs.
“Brisket is an imperfect, tougher cut of meat, and smoking is an imperfect method of cooking, but the end product can be perfect,” Baynes told the site. “That’s what I love. Experiencing everyone’s version of perfection.”
After he was impressed by the barbecue scene in San Antonio in 2013, it wasn’t long before Baynes began taking road trips of up to 75 miles with his wife, Rachel, to visit the most acclaimed locations in Texas.
https://www.instagram.com/p/1lyNENmoOU/
Baynes recalled a “pilgrimage” to legendary Franklin Barbecue in Austin while he was sidelined with an ankle injury. Franklin is known for its waits, and Baynes told NBA.com that he had to return to his car every 30 minutes during his two and a half hour wait to ice and retreat his ankle.
Celtics fans will be hoping to that same level of perseverance on the court.
Even when his wife was pregnant and could no longer stand the smell or taste of barbecue, Baynes said he go eat it alone, and then shower and change clothes when he got home. Rachel told the outlet that barbecue is usually the first thing on his mind.
“The ‘guess what I’m thinking’ game is easy for us,” she said. “I’ll guess barbecue for him, and I’ll be right 99 percent of the time.”
Baynes does at least prioritize his basketball career above his passion for barbecue, telling NBA.com that he abstains from red meat before games and skips sides in favor of steamed vegetables at home.
But even after leaving Texas, his love of the cuisine did not cease.
https://www.instagram.com/p/7yD12mmoDu/?hl=en
Since signing with the Pistons in the summer of 2015, Baynes sought out his favorite food in Michigan and appears to be a particular fan of Victory Smokehouse, a barbecue spot in the suburbs of Detroit.
Last fall, the Palace of Auburn Hills, where the Pistons play home games, created a “House O’ Bayne” brisket plate. During a media event to introduce the new plate, Baynes chided a reporter for asking if the plate was served with sauce.
“If it needs sauce, its not barbecue,” he said.
TD Garden chefs, take note.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_WKlO24154
