Joe Mazzulla Named Boston Celtics Interim Coach
Former West Virginia player Joe Mazzulla is the interim coach of the Boston Celtics, the team announced late Thursday night.
Mazzulla replaces Ime Udoka, who was suspended for the 2022-23 season.
The Celtics suspended Udoka due to a violation of the team’s code of conduct policy but did not get more specific. Udoka apologized in a statement on Thursday. The Celtics will make a decision about Udoka’s long-term job prospects at a later date.
“I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down,” Udoka told ESPN. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”
Mazzulla played for the Mountaineers from 2006-2011 and helped them win the 2007 NIT title under then-head coach John Beilein. He also helped the Mountaineers upset Duke in the 2008 NCAA Tournament with a near-triple-double — 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
After an injury redshirt season in 2008-09, he returned to the Mountaineers to help them reach the 2010 Final Four under coach Bob Huggins, including a 17-point game in the Mountaineers’ Elite Eight win over Kentucky.
Mazzulla’s WVU career included 700 points and dished out 340 assists.
He worked his way up the coaching ranks, eventually earning the head-coaching job at Division II Fairmont State in 2017. In two seasons he went 47-17 and took FSU to one NCAA Tournament.
He joined the Boston staff in 2019.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
