Jrue Holiday Vouched For Ex-Celtics Assistant Before Landing Hornets Job

Charles Lee joined the Boston Celtics two offseasons ago as the team’s top assistant on head coach Joe Mazzulla’s staff, all while awaiting the opportunity to take over the helm elsewhere in the NBA.

Lee’s patience was rewarded midway through Boston’s playoff run when the Charlotte Hornets came calling. The 39-year-old agreed to a four-year deal and was introduced as Charlotte’s 12th head coach in franchise history, fresh off a season for which the Hornets finished third-to-last (21-61) in the Eastern Conference. Many teams already knew Lee’s credentials, however, that didn’t stop them from reaching out to those closest to Lee such as Celtics guard Jrue Holiday.

Holiday stood alongside Lee, both during last season’s Celtics run to Banner 18 and Milwaukee’s 2021 championship run as members of the Bucks. Now split apart, Holiday was prepared to offer nothing but kind words to whoever would listen.

“Super happy. I was advocating for him,” Holiday told reporters Friday, per CLNS Media. “I was advocating for him before. But I think just to see him fulfill the dream and be able to become a head coach, I think is huge. I think with a young team like (Charlotte) where he gets to actually teach and really show himself is really good for him. (Teams) reach out to me, I typically give him the truth. Even here, I talked to a couple of people here before he got the job and just tell them my opinion on Charles, as a person. I feel like that’s more important than just the coach and just gave them my opinion and I guess they liked him.”

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Mazzulla hand-picked Lee, along with Sam Cassell and others, to construct his coaching staff during his first full offseason as head coach of the Celtics. It became increasingly unlikely as the season progressed and opportunities began opening up across the league that Lee would stick around beyond his first year with Boston.

With 10 years of coaching experience and two championships, the time had come for Lee to embark on his greatest career challenge yet, and the Celtics felt nothing short of joy and pride as Lee departed the organization.

“I’m happy for him,” Holiday said, per CLNS Media. “Happy to see that — obviously he’s a head coach and he’s finally getting his opportunity to kind of imprint himself on this team and on this league. But love him to death and I’m super proud of him.”

Under Lee’s assistance, the Celtics finished atop the NBA in net rating (11.7), offensive rating (122.2), led the East in defensive rating (110.6) ended the regular season with a league-best 64 victories before cruising to a 16-3 run in the playoffs.

Tasked with coaching young talents such as LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, Lee is striving to help turn the franchise’s trajectory around. Charlotte hasn’t won a championship, ever, has lost twice in the play-in round in the last nine years and hasn’t won a playoff series since 2002. Hard enough, the task becomes increasingly difficult with teams like the Celtics, Bucks, New York Knicks and others interfering with their win-now ambitions.

Then again, those still in Boston aren’t worried and remain pulling for Lee.

“Man, he was great. Just a great presence,” Celtics forward Sam Hauser told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Obviously being in Milwaukee when they won a championship. Bringing some championship DNA to the Celtics and providing a different insight on how to get it done and obviously, he helped us get there and now he’s doing his own thing here. Just a great personality. One of the nicest guys in the world, quite honestly. Always brings a positive energy and vibe to the gym every day so it’ll be good to see him but try to beat him too.”

Lee and the Hornets host the reigning champion Celtics on Friday in Charlotte.