Report: Joe Mazzulla to likely serve as interim head coach as Ime Udoka potentially faces year-long suspension

As we await particulars following the information that Ime Udoka likely faces a suspension for a consensual but inappropriate and intimate relationship with a feminine staffer, it seems that lead assistant coach Joe Mazzulla is about to step up because the interim head coach for the 2022-23 Boston Celtics, in line with Adrian Wojnarowski.

Mazzulla was simply promoted to guide assistant within the offseason after final 12 months’s lead assistant, Will Hardy, was employed by the Utah Jazz to teach that group. Mazzulla was a finalist for the Jazz place as effectively, demonstrating that his teaching has obtained recognition outdoors of the crew. Mazzulla is without doubt one of the holdovers from Brad Stevens’ teaching workers, so he has rapport with a number of the gamers that goes again just a few years.

Joe Mazzulla performed in faculty at West Virginia earlier than going undrafted within the NBA. His teaching profession began out with Glenville State earlier than he made his approach to the Maine Pink Claws as an assistant in 2016. Mazzulla has been with the Celtics since 2019, so he’s seen his justifiable share of turbulence with the group.

Mazzulla possible faces the big process of navigating what’s turning right into a whirlwind of a season. With accidents to key gamers like Danilo Gallinari and Robert Williams III along with what’s been reported about Udoka, there can be a number of non-basketball storylines for Mazzulla to guide the crew by way of.

Just a few months in the past, Ime Udoka had nothing however optimistic issues to share in a Sports Illustrated story on Mazzulla:

I talked to everyone within the group once I bought employed, gamers included, and he bought glowing evaluations. I didn’t know a lot about him going into it, however I take the gamers’ opinions at a excessive worth, and he was a man that was a consensus sure.

Moreover, Jayson Tatum added to the reward:

I really like Joe. I feel simply being round him for the final, I feel that is his third 12 months, perhaps second or third 12 months, you’ll be able to inform how passionate he’s concerning the guys and his craft. And he’s gotten a lot extra educated, and extra detailed, and extra vocal and extra comfy in his position as a coach. You’ve seen the expansion from his first 12 months, and he’s helped me out tremendously as a participant and an individual. So, (I) can’t say sufficient good issues about Joe, and everyone appreciates what he brings to this crew, and I’m glad that we’ve got him.

We’re nonetheless ready for additional particulars on Udoka’s suspension, however within the meantime, it’s clear that if Mazzulla does certainly must step into the position, at the very least he has the backing and confidence of these within the group.