Red Sox players show support for injured Celtics star Gordon Hayward

Several members of the Boston Red Sox showed their support for the injured Gordon Hayward by sporting the jersey of the Celtics star forward.

Being a professional athlete means being a part of a family. Players share a tight bond with their teammates, whom they often spend more time with than their actual families. In a city of passionate sports fans like Boston where the local teams are ingrained in the culture, players from other sports franchises that also call this city home are considered to be part of the extended family.

This connection to their fellow local athletes was on display when the Boston Red Sox showed their support for injured Boston Celtics star Gordon Hayward.

Hayward was the prize free agent acquisition for the C’s this year. The All-Star forward was lured to Boston by a max contract and the chance to play for his former college coach, Brad Stevens. Boston’s busy summer wasn’t done there, as the Celtics also pulled off a blockbuster deal to bring point guard Kyrie Irving to town. With Hayward and Irving on board to form a new Big Three alongside Al Horford, championship aspirations were rekindled in Boston once again.

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Unfortunately, those hopes of hanging banner 18 in the Garden went up in flames less than six minutes into the regular season when Hayward landed awkwardly on an alley-oop attempt. The gruesome injury left him writhing on the floor in pain and left Celtics fans with a pit in their stomachs over the uncertainty of his well-being.

Hayward would later be diagnosed with a dislocated left ankle and a fractured tibia. He underwent surgery last week and is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season.

Any athlete can sympathize with the risk of injury that comes with playing a professional sport. Several Red Sox players have shown their support for the injured basketball star by wearing his No. 20 Celtics jersey in photos shared on social media.

Hayward is known for his finely sculpted hairstyle that somehow manages to stay in place throughout the rigorous action of an NBA game. Perhaps Andrew Benintendi can make him an unofficial member of the Flow-Bros.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BapDkyBHURe/?taken-by=andrewbenintendi16

Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez shared an Instagram video of himself delivering a get well message to Hayward. Is it just me or does Hanley look ready to step on the court?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaopLVBFjzg/?taken-by=hanleyramirez13

Chris Sale is one of the few players who doesn’t get involved with social media, but that didn’t stop him from recording a message for Hayward. While few people on the planet can throw a baseball as well as Sale, his jump shot clearly needs some work.

Despite that the 6-foot-6 lefty is one of the few Red Sox players with the height to compete in the NBA, it’s fair to say he won’t be any help to the efforts replacing Hayward.

This isn’t the first time that Hayward has been connected to the Red Sox organization. When Celtics GM Danny Ainge was making his pitch to Hayward during free agency he brought him to Fenway Park, where he watched a video of other Boston sports stars telling him about what it’s like to play in this city full of knowledgeable and passionate fans. Hayward also threw out the first pitch on Celtics Night back in September.

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The get well messages and displays of support from the Red Sox players will certainly help Hayward as he embarks on the long road to recovery.

Get well, Gordon. Red Sox Nation and the city of Boston are behind you!