Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla wins Coach of the Year after calling award stupid

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla called the Coach of the Year award stupid in March.

He won it Tuesday night.

Mazzulla guided the Celtics to a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, four games behind the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. The team played without several stars, including Jayson Tatum, for much of the season.

Mazzulla said the award should recognize the full coaching staff rather than one person. He told NBC that long nights, travel, game plans, video work and assistant coaches all contribute to each win.

"It starts with the players, but it goes to our staff," Mazzulla said. "I feel bad that they’re not here — but forever indebted to the guys that we have that give up time with their families and their time to give us a chance to win every day."

Mazzulla is the fourth Celtics coach to win the Red Auerbach Trophy. Red Auerbach won it in 1965, Tom Heinsohn in 1973 and Bill Fitch in 1980.

At 37, Mazzulla is the youngest head coach to receive the award since Phil Jackson won it in 1975.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the honor was well deserved. He credited Mazzulla with building the team through an uncertain season and helping players improve within the team system.

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff finished second in the voting. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson placed third.

The Celtics won the NBA title in 2024 by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-1. They were eliminated in the first round of the 2025 playoffs after losing Game 7 to the Philadelphia 76ers.