Joe Mazzulla Extended

Joe Mazzulla has amassed a 182-64 record over three seasons as the Boston Celtics Head Coach.

After making several moves to shape out the 25-26 roster, the Boston Celtics signed championship-winning coach Joe Mazzulla to a contract extension. The team announced the move via X and a press release early Friday afternoon.

“This is truly a blessing,” Mazzulla said in a 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’s 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.”

Mazzulla has accomplished as much as any modern NBA coach over the first three seasons of his head coaching career. He has a record of 182-64, won an NBA Championship, has appeared in two Eastern Conference Finals, and amassed 60 wins over the last two consecutive seasons. 

Mazzulla was thrown into the fire when Ime Udoka was unceremoniously suspended (and later fired) during the 23-24 preseason with a team expected to compete for a championship. Although the Celtics' 23-24 season ended in disappointment at the hands of the Miami Heat in the ECF, Mazzulla showed promise as a head coach, spearheading his team from a 0-3 deficit in the conference finals to force a game seven vs the Heat. The following season, Mazzulla led a stacked roster to a 16-3 run through the playoffs that culminated in an NBA championship. 

Celtics General Manager, Brad Stevens, is pleased to have his head coach locked up. “We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics,” Stevens said. “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.”

Mazzulla will enter the 25-26 with a roster that will be without his best player, Jayson Tatum (Achilles tear), and a roster that has significantly less talent than any Celtics team he has coached during his young tenure. The extension gives Mazzulla the deserved security and opportunity to coach the 25-26 roster as he sees fit. Mazzulla has become famous for his “Mazzulla ball” style of play, which is designed to hunt matchups and maximize three-point attempts and makes. The coach is now free to continue his offensive style or make changes without the distraction of an unfinished contract. That’s a win for the coach and the organization.