It's been a summer of change for the Boston Celtics, as they've made several major moves to afford their roster. One thing that largely remained the same is the coaching staff, which was further cemented on Friday morning by a multi-year contract extension for Celtics skipper Joe Mazzulla.
The Rhode Island native has led the C's since September of 2022, when former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was unexpectedly suspended and later permanently dismissed. In spite of the initial controversy surrounding this replacement, Mazzulla has managed the Celtics well, even helping them lift the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy in 2024.
Heading into his fourth season as head coach, Mazzulla will have a little more job security. Here are three reasons why he deserves that comfort, and why the Celtics are better with him at the helm.
Joe Mazzulla has an incredible track record
Nobody in NBA history has had a better start to their coaching career than Mazzulla. The 37-year-old has a regular season win-loss percentage of .740, the best of any head coach with at least 10 games under their belt.
Joe Mazzulla’s 3 seasons as the Celtics head coach thus far:
– 1 championship
– 3 playoff berths
– 3 seasons of at least 48 wins (and counting)
– 170-62 regular season record (and counting) pic.twitter.com/QYL5IP91Cp— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 15, 2025
In the playoffs, Mazzulla brought Boston to the promised land a little over a year ago and became the youngest head coach to hang a banner since Celtics legend Bill Russell did so in 1969. The New Englander grew up a Celtics fan and respects the team's rich history, feeling eternally grateful to be a part of it.
“This is truly a blessing,” Mazzulla said after his extension in an official statement. “I would not be here without my faith, my wife, and my children. We are thankful for the partnership with our ownership groups, Brad [Stevens'] mentorship, and the support of our staff. Most importantly, I am grateful for the players I have been able to coach the past three seasons. I look forward to competing for the Celtics and the city of Boston.”
With a track record like Mazzulla's, it was hard to fathom him not receiving an extension. However, there'll always be detractors, claiming he was gifted a talented roster and only succeeded because of that good fortune.
And while there's no denying Boston's talent, Mazzulla was the one who could make the most out of it, culminating in an utterly dominant 2023-24 championship campaign where the Celtics were committed to winning day in and day out.
Plenty of other coaches have inherited winning teams and failed to execute when it mattered — just look at Steve Nash's Brooklyn Nets from a few years ago and how they flamed out despite employing three future Hall of Famers in Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving.
Mazzulla overcame the chaos surrounding his promotion and accomplished what no Celtics coach had in over 15 years. Plus — and perhaps most importantly — he has the trust of those around him.
The most notable players and members of the front office trust him
No matter what fans and pundits say online about Mazzulla, he's supported by the most important people within the Celtics organization.
Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has vouched for Mazzulla since the day he was hired. And if anybody has a history of good basketball decisions, it's the 2024 NBA Executive of the Year.
“We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics,” Stevens announced in an official statement. “He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans. He's worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach — including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship. Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics.”
Not only does Mazzulla have Stevens' backing, but he also has a vote of confidence from his players. Guys like Payton Pritchard, Jayson Tatum, and even first-year Celtic Chris Boucher have already recognized Mazzulla's extension on social media:
Unsurprisingly, Jayson Tatum does the same: https://t.co/5kY4qKsyVN pic.twitter.com/X1T1yJnEAQ
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) August 8, 2025
Of all of those names, Tatum's is certainly the most important, as a coach who doesn't earn the approval of his best players can't function well in today's NBA. Once again, remember Nash and the Nets for a modern example of that.
Tatum aside, Celtics star Jaylen Brown also has a good relationship with Mazzulla, which will be more important than ever heading into the 2025-26 season.
It's smart to lock down a coach before a year of uncertainty
With Tatum out indefinitely due to a brutal Achilles rupture, the Celtics are preparing for a year of uncertainty.
They don't know when their go-to guy will be back or who will step up following a busy offseason where the Celts lost starting center Kristaps Porzingis, starting guard Jrue Holiday, and backup big man Luke Kornet.
As a result of these changes, Boston is expected to struggle next season, or at least fail to reach the heights it has in recent years. Even the NBA thinks so. The league's schedule makers denied the Celtics a Christmas Day game for the first time in a decade, revealing that those running the Association don't think Boston's current roster is worthy of prime time.
It'll be up to Brown, who will be the Celtics' primary source of offense, and company to prove the NBA wrong. And while the Green Team probably won't capture a third consecutive 60-win season, Mazzulla will do what it takes to keep the undermanned Celtics competitive.
Bringing in new blood ahead of a potentially rough season is an ill-advised idea. Furthermore, keeping Mazzulla around without an extension to give him peace of mind amid a down year would've been dangerous, too, as the West Virginia alum might've been distracted by the possibility of a looming coaching change.
Now that he's extended, Mazzulla won't have to worry as much. Yet, knowing his intense personality, he'll still coach the Celtics with his patented fervor, assuming each game will be his last if he doesn't find a way to win.
“I wake up every day saying this could be my last day.”
– Joe Mazzulla on Michael Malone’s firing
(🎥 @CelticsCLNS )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 9, 2025
