Boston Celtics name Johnston’s Joe Mazzulla as new head coach

BOSTON (WLNE) — The Boston Celtics on Thursday named Rhode Island native Joe Mazzulla as their 19th head coach.

“As he has shown, Joe is a very talented coach and leader,” said Brad Stevens, Celtics general manager. “He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission.”

Last year, Mazzulla, who’s from Johnston, was named the interim head coach for the Celtics after the suspension of Ime Udoka.

“We are thankful for the work he had done to help us to this point, and excited that he had agreed to lead us into the future,” Stevens said Thursday.

Mazzulla was hired by the Celtics as an assistant coach by Stevens, and was kept on staff in 2021 when Udoka was hired.