Who Joe Mazzulla Nearly Added To 2022-23 Celtics Coaching Staff

The Boston Celtics made a solid transition to a new coaching regime last season in a year in which the team went to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fourth time in six seasons.

Joe Mazzulla was named Celtics interim head coach just days before the start of training camp and became the full-time head coach midseason.

Just before the beginning of training camp, the Johnston, R.I. native was on the golf course with other team personnel as well as former NBA guard and current TV analyst JJ Redick. During the round, Mazzulla approached Redick about joining the Celtics coaching staff, as recently discussed on “The Old Man and The Three” podcast.

“You tried to convince me to join the staff,” Redick said. “I feel like most of that 4 1/2 hour round and the subsequent lunch was us talking about what my role would be.”

The Celtics coach fared well in his first season with the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

“I thought we had a chance at getting you,” Mazzulla responded. “We go through the clubhouse to walk out and you’re like, ‘When does training camp start?’ I was like, ‘Monday.’ And it was Friday. This guy put all of his thought into coaching and he doesn’t even know when the season starts.”

Despite not eventually joining the staff, Redick did seriously consider multiple offers from Mazzulla.

“I wasn’t wasting your time,” Redick recalled. “I gave it some serious thought and when (you) called me when Damon (Stoudamire) left in the middle of the season. I gave that some serious thought, too.”

Redick played 17 NBA seasons and averaged 12.8 points per game throughout his career with six teams.

Mazzulla enters his second year at the helm on Oct. 25 when the Celtics open the season at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.