BOSTON — A championship will always unite Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and head coach Joe Mazzulla. However, their relationship began long before that and isn't defined by a trophy.

During practice on Thursday, Tatum voiced his appreciation for Mazzulla and highlighted what he loves about the young coach.

“I love Joe to death,” Tatum told reporters. “I admire the way he's really coming into his own. He truly does things his own way. He's not trying to be somebody he isn't. He cares about all of us individually. He believes in us. He works with us, it's not like he's talking down to us.”

Mazzulla, who turned 36 shortly after the Celtics prevailed in the 2024 NBA Finals, has grown alongside his players. In just two seasons at the helm, he's experienced the heartbreak of early exits in the playoffs and the glory of winning it all. He's gone through all of this with his two stars, Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Together, they navigated the pressure that comes with Boston's high, championship-or-bust expectations.

The New England native may not have envisioned the course of events that led to him becoming the head coach of the Celtics. Following an impressive run to the 2022 NBA Finals, former head coach Ime Udoka was suddenly dismissed ahead of the 2022-23 season for violating team policies, creating a massive job opening just ahead of training camp. Despite Mazzulla being far from a household name at the time, Tatum always believed the former assistant coach of the Maine Red Claws (now the Maine Celtics of the G League) was destined for more.

“He was an assistant coach with us for like two or three years. I could tell he was young,” Tatum recalled. “He was ambitious and hungry. I knew that one day he'd have the opportunity to be a head coach.”

What Joe Mazzulla means to the Celtics

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates with head coach Joe Mazzulla after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in game five to win the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
David Butler II-Imagn Images

In his first year in control, Mazzulla helped the Green Team make it to Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. But, the C's fell short, losing the must-win contest against the Miami Heat and missing out on another great opportunity for banner no. 18.

Despite the backlash he received for this postseason disappointment, Mazzulla persevered and stuck by Tatum, Brown, and the rest of his guys, who also faced plenty of criticism for missing the Finals. With a revamped team and the terrific tandem of Tatum and Brown still intact during the 2023-24 campaign, Mazzulla's men dominated.

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Boston went 64-18 in the regular season and secured the best overall record in the NBA. A stellar 16-3 playoff record was good enough to earn the Celtics their sought-after 18th championship in June, making Mazzulla the youngest head coach to win a title since the legendary Bill Russell.

He's not one to take credit though, and his players admire him for that.

“Man, I love Joe Mazzulla so much,” guard Derrick White announced after becoming an NBA champion. “I’d do anything for him.”

The respect is mutual, as Mazzulla frequently advocates for his players. For example, when Tatum and Brown were subjected to the incessant narrative that they have some deep-rooted jealousy for one another, their coach had their backs, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

“They've been handling longstanding success at a high, high level and so people need them in order to stay relevant,” he said ahead of the 2024 Finals. “[The media] should get to know them as people before they talk about that. They're two of the greatest teammates and players that you could have and it's been an honor to coach both of them … I love both of them and they deserve better.”

The New England native will once again be tasked with sticking by his guys during the upcoming 2024-25 season. Per usual, there are championship aspirations in Beantown and expectations from fans, pundits, and plenty of others that the Celtics will contend for another ring. Mazzulla has shown he can handle the noise and thrive in Boston's winning culture, and he's eager to prove it for a second time.

“We want to win a championship every single year,” he declared during Celtics Media Day. “That's the goal, that's the standard, that's the expectation … That's always going to be the goal.”