Boston Celtics sign Joe Mazzulla to coaching contract extension
NEW YORK – Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has signed a multi-year contract extension with the team he guided to an NBA title in 2024, the club announced on Friday.
Terms of the deal were not revealed but the move extends the 37-year-old American's stay with the club after serving as an assistant coach from 2019 through 2022.
He became the head coach in September 2022 when Ime Udoka was suspended for violating team policy just days before the start of training camp for the 2022-23 campaign.
'This is truly a blessing,' Mazzulla said in a statement. '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.'
The Celtics went 57-25 in Mazzulla's first season but lost to Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The next season, Boston went 64-18 and beat Dallas in the NBA Finals, making Mazzulla the youngest head coach of an NBA champion since Bill Russell in 1969.
Boston went 61-21 last season for the second seed in the East, but lost to New York in the second round of the play-offs.
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'We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics,' Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said. 'He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans.
'He has 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's career coaching record is 182-64, plus a 33-17 playoff run.
Meanwhile, ESPN reported that the opening night of the upcoming NBA season will feature the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder hosting Houston and a star-studded clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State.
The season will tip off on October 21 and the opening night games will be aired by NBC, marking the league's return to the broadcaster for the first time in 23 years.
The 2025-26 season is the first of an 11-year media rights deal for the NBA worth a reported US$76 billion.
It includes a new partnership with Amazon, a return to NBC and a continuing partnership with ESPN and ABC, with ABC to carry a blockbuster Christmas day slate.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, are scheduled to play on Christmas against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
It will be the Cavs' first Christmas appearance since superstar LeBron James played for his hometown team.
Another Christmas game will see Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City. AFP, REUTERS
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