The Boston Celtics are the reigning NBA Champions and have a good chance of finding themselves repeating this year, given the improvements they’ve made from the season prior. While Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are leading the team as players, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is leading the way from the sidelines.
An interesting path for Mazzulla, who went from Division II to the NBA to join the Celtics, while he did have prior experience with the team’s G League affiliate. But before all of that, Mazzulla was a college basketball player for the West Virginia Mountaineers. While he was never a standout player, he did play a role on the team and managed to knock out a future NBA star in the tournament.
“I’m always gonna have a small part of hate when it comes to Joe Mazulla.” @boogiecousins still hasn’t forgiven Mazulla for keeping his Kentucky Wildcats from making the Final Four 😭@MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/n9y6fGVjNk
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 25, 2025
Shared by former New Orleans Pelicans star DeMarcus Cousins, he still hasn’t forgotten what Mazulla did to him and the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
“I’m always gonna have a small part of hate when it comes to Joe Mazulla,” Cousins said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. Mazzulla and the Mountaineers handed Kentucky a 73-66 loss in the Elite 8. Mazzulla even outscored Cousins, with 17 points compared to his 15.
Told the trainer not to help Tatum & then yelled “get up”
There’s no one like Joe Mazzullapic.twitter.com/Uf4o8oKxgD
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 21, 2025
While Cousins went on to have four All-Star selections and make two All-NBA teams, Mazzulla didn’t pan out as a player and instead has become one of the league’s top coaches.
New Report on Willie Green’s Future With Pelicans
New Report on NBA Legend Joining Pelicans Front Office
