Make it rain, man!
With the Boston Celtics advancing to the NBA Finals, head coach Joe Mazzulla is gaining national attention for the first time.
In just his second season as head coach, Mazzulla has guided the Celtics to a promising 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the best-of-seven series, positioning the team to potentially secure its 18th NBA championship.
Mazzulla’s remarkable ability to recall plays from memory has earned him comparisons to “Rain Man,” underscoring his aptitude as a championship-caliber coach. His detailed memory was on display during a post-Game 2 press conference, where he recounted specific plays in response to questions about guard Jrue Holiday, who scored 26 points that night.
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Before his NBA coaching career, Mazzulla played college basketball at West Virginia from 2006 to 2011 but was not drafted into the NBA.
He quickly transitioned into coaching, starting as an assistant at Glenville State in 2011, and then moving to Fairmont State where he became head coach in 2017.
Mazzulla joined the Celtics as an assistant coach in 2019 and was appointed as the interim head coach following the dismissal of Ime Udoka in 2022, before being officially named the head coach in 2023.
If Mazzulla leads the Celtics to the 2024 NBA championship, he would set a record as the youngest head coach to win an NBA title at 35 years old, surpassing Tyronn Lue, who won at 39 with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
It’s noteworthy that while Bill Russell won a title at 34, he was also an active player, adding a unique aspect to his achievement.
