At the start of the NBA season, Hypebeast caught up with Boston Celtics’ point guard and Tres Generaciones tequila brand ambassador, Marcus Smart, as part of “The Formula” series. The three-part series explored Smart’s formula: perseverance, creativity and purpose – and how he has channeled these ingredients throughout his life to overcome obstacles.

One obstacle in particular stands out, like the return to the court that Smart and the Celtics were facing back in 2022 as they sought to pick themselves back up following a crushing loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of The NBA Finals. It was the type of loss that can derail players and franchises alike. Working with Smart on “The Formula” series campaign, it was clear that wouldn’t be the case for the Celtics this year.

Smart, who is no stranger to getting knocked down having lost both his brother and mother to cancer, was focused. Last year, he proclaimed his mindset heading into the season was simple: “Control what you can control. What we can control is how we come in every day, how we prepare, how professional we are, and how to get ready. We can’t look back to the past. It’s not gonna change anything and it’s not gonna help us. We just have to keep pushing forward.”

It’s exactly this drive to keep pushing forward that led Smart to partner with Tres Generaciones Tequila, a brand born in 1973 from three generations of master distillers, who rose to build one of the great houses of tequila. The brand’s current campaign champions other ‘get up’ stories that share similar parallels with its founding dons. Smart and the Celtic’s ‘get up’ attitude registered immediately, with the team capitalizing on a hot start to enter the All-Star break as the top team in the NBA.

The road back to the NBA Finals was never a given – and both Smart and the team have faced their fair share of obstacles. Smart’s biggest setback came as the Celtics faced off against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, January 21. Leading 34-12, down to ten seconds left in the first half, Smart sustained a non-contact right ankle injury, later ruled to be an ankle sprain, leading him to miss 11 games. The team, missing Smart’s aggressive defense and creative playmaking ability, lost 5 games with Smart relegated to the bench.

Despite the circumstances, Smart ‘controlled the controllables’ and doubled down on a recovery regimen to rehabilitate his ankle and a series of postseason injuries that impacted him during the 2021-2022 season. His determination and grit paid off as he returned to the court on Wednesday, February 15, against the Detroit Pistons, helping propel the Celtic’s to a sweeping 127-109 victory.

Smart and the Celtic’s, both back at full strength, are poised for another deep playoff run. They are carrying with them the same potent perseverance mindset that allowed them to turn the page on their NBA Finals loss and push through the noise of this offseason. It’s this ‘never quit’ attitude which makes them a fearsome opponent in any playoff series.

And it’s an attitude with clear parallels to the ‘always get up’ ethos of Tres Generaciones Tequila. As quoted by Smart: “Fail Twice, Get Up Tres.”

DISCLAIMER: DRINK RESPONSIBLY. Tres Generaciones® Tequila, 40% alc./vol. ©2022 Sauza Tequila Import Company, Chicago, IL.