Celtics Believe in Joe Mazzulla and How His Domestic Battery Arrest Has Since Shaped Him

Brad Stevens says he thoroughly vetted Joe Mazzulla's past transgressions before hiring him in 2019.

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

In 2009, while starring at West Virginia, now Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla was arrested for domestic battery for allegedly grabbing a woman by the neck at a bar. The year before, he was charged with underage drinking and fighting with police at a Pittsburgh Pirates game.

Following his second arrest, Mazzulla pursued treatment. He has reportedly been sober for the past 12 years. He has not been charged with any other incidents since.

At the Celtics' press conference to address the organization's decision to suspend Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season for what's getting labeled an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female staff member, Brad Stevens said he thoroughly vetted Mazzulla's past transgressions when the team hired him as an assistant in 2019.

"That shaped him into who he is today and (in) a good way. He is 110 percent accountable for that. I believe in him," expressed Stevens.

Stevens also stated: "He's an exceptionally sharp and talented person. I believe in Joe's leadership."

While the Celtics landed on naming Mazzulla their interim head coach, team owner Wyc Grousbeck shared that the possibility of Stevens returning to his role as Boston's head coach got discussed briefly, but the latter assured him, "Joe's the best choice to do that by a long shot."

By the time Stevens moved to the front office to succeed Danny Ainge as the organization's president of basketball operations, he was ready for a change for personal and professional reasons, with his new job allowing him to spend more time with his family compared to constantly flying out for road games. After eight seasons at the helm, the players were also ready for a new voice.

Regarding Mazzulla, during the Finals, Udoka shared what led him to retaining the Rhode Island native when putting his coaching staff together.

"I talked to everybody in the organization when I got hired, players included, and he got glowing reviews. I didn't know much about him going into it, but I take the players' opinions at a high value, and he was a guy that was a consensus yes. Somebody that they all worked with closely (and) believed in and understood his upside. And so, once I met with him and Tony Dobbins, Evan, Brad, and some of the guys that we kept, I think it was pretty easy (in) conversations to see why."

At the NBA Finals, Jayson Tatum spoke to Mazzulla's growth as a coach and the bond the two have built.

"I love Joe. I think just being around him for the last, I think this is his third year, maybe second or third year, you can tell how passionate he is about the guys and his craft. And he's gotten so much more knowledgeable, and more detailed, and more vocal and more comfortable in his role as a coach. You've seen the growth from his first year, and he's helped me out tremendously as a player and a person. So, (I) can't say enough good things about Joe, and everybody appreciates what he brings to this team, and I'm glad that we have him."

Along with Mazzulla, who at 34, will become the youngest active head coach in the NBA, Boston will lean on not only the core of the team, but assistant coaches like Damon Stoudamire, a former head coach at Pacific University, and Ben Sullivan, who was an assistant with the Bucks when they won the NBA title in 2021.

"I'm really confident in the team and coaching staff that will be taking the court on Tuesday," declared Stevens.

Boston might also add a veteran coach to their staff. As Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix pointed out, Stevens has a long-standing relationship with Frank Vogel, who was head coach of the Lakers when they won the NBA title in the bubble in 2020.

Vogel began his career as the Celtics' head video coordinator, then joined Boston's coaching staff as an assistant in 2001, spending three years in that role.

Further Reading

Celtics Owner Wyc Grousbeck on Suspending Ime Udoka for 2022-23 Season: 'well warranted and appropriate'

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The Case for the Celtics Signing LaMarcus Aldridge

Examining How the Celtics Might Manage Their Center Rotation

Weighing Whether the Celtics Should Sign Carmelo Anthony

Weighing the Celtics' Internal and External Options Without Danilo Gallinari, Who Could Return This Season

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