Sam Cassell Explains Decision To Join Celtics’ Coaching Staff

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens made it clear the organization wanted to add a veteran voice to the Joe Mazzulla-led coaching staff. It seems Mazzulla wanted the same thing.

When speaking with Heavy’s Steve Bulpett ahead of a Celtics summer league game in Las Vegas, newly hired assistant Sam Cassell shared how it was Mazzulla who got Cassell to Boston.

Cassell was the organization’s first notable hiring of the offseason, though Boston has since added top assistant Charles Lee and former Celtics guard Phil Pressey.

“Joe made this happen,” Cassell told Heavy Sports in a story published Sunday. “He’s watched me work a couple of guys out before and wanted to understand my personality and how I link to players. We have some mutual friends that he contacted, and we just made it work.”

Cassell has been known to have a great relationship with players — including the star players — he’s previously coached. In 14 seasons on the bench, which followed a 15-year playing career, Cassell has been credited with the emergence of 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey and was called a big part of John Wall’s development during their time together in Washington.

“I’m a great listener to players; I’m a former player, so I understand what they’re going through,” Cassell told Heavy Sports. “Like I tell them all the time, I’ve been each player on a team, from the top guy to the 15th player. I’ve been all those guys. I understand what those guys are going through mentally.”

Cassell now will try to offer that same skill set in Boston.