In 2002, the Celtics were sold to a group led by a Massachusetts native and lifelong Celtics fan.

His pending replacement has similar regional roots.

William Chisholm, who reached an agreement to purchase the Celtics for a record price of $6.1 billion, was raised in Georgetown, Mass., and attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

“Growing up on the North Shore and attending college in New England, I have been a die-hard Celtics fan my entire life,” Chisholm said Thursday in a statement announcing the sale, which is pending approval by the NBA’s Board of Governors. “I understand how important the Celtics are to the city of Boston – the role the team plays in the community is different than any other city in the country. I also understand that there is a responsibility as a leader of the organization to the people of Boston, and I am up for this challenge.”

Chisholm is the co-founder, managing partner and chief investment officer of Symphony Technology Group, a California-based private equity firm. He previously co-founded The Valent Group and worked at Bain & Company and PaineWebber, Inc., according to his STG profile. Chisholm holds an MBA from Wharton and serves on the board of directors of nearly a dozen companies.

Though Chisholm will become the Celtics’ new majority owner if his group’s purchase is approved — the team expects that process to be finalized in June or July — Wyc Grousbeck will stay on as the team’s CEO and governor through the 2027-28 season before passing those duties to Chisholm.

According to Grousbeck, Chisholm “asked (him) to run the team as CEO and Governor for the first three years, and stay on as his partner.”

“And I am glad to do so,” Grousbeck, the face of Boston’s ownership group since Boston Basketball Partners LLC bought the team for $360 million 23 years ago, said in a statement.

Chisholm’s group also features current Celtics minority owner Robert Hale and Bruce A. Beal, Jr., the president of Related Companies.

If his purchase is confirmed, Chisholm will take over a Celtics team that won the franchise’s 18th NBA championship last summer and is in contention for a 19th this season — but also is on track to have the most expensive roster in NBA history in 2025-26, totaling close to $500 million in salary and luxury tax penalties.

It’s unclear how the impending ownership change will impact the Celtics’ roster decisions.

“My partners and I have immense respect for Wyc, the entire Grousbeck family and their indelible contributions to the Celtics organization over the last 23 years,” Chisholm said. “We look forward to learning from Wyc and partnering with Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla and the talented team and staff to build upon their success as we work to bring more championships home to Boston.”

Chisholm’s bid for the franchise beat out several other suitors, including longtime Celtics co-owner and managing partner Steve Pagliuca. Pagliuca said in a statement that he “made a fully guaranteed and financed offer at a record price” and was “saddened” to see it rejected.