Episode 183: Joe Mazzulla, Simplified Principles of Play and the Teaching Process

Artwork for podcast The Basketball Podcast

Episode 183 • 29th September 2021 • The Basketball Podcast • Chris Oliver

Guest: Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics Assistant Coach

Boston Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss simplified principles of play and the teaching process.

Mazzulla coached the 2021 Boston Celtics summer league team. He joined Boston’s coaching staff in 2019-20 after guiding Fairmont State University to a 43-17 record over two seasons as the program’s head coach from 2017 to 2019. His Falcons went 22-9 in 2018-19 to claim the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament bid over the last seven years.

In joining the Celtics organization, Mazzulla returns to the Northeast where he served as an assistant coach for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League during the 2016-17 season. In addition to his two years as a head coach in the collegiate ranks, Mazzulla brings five years of assistant coaching experience between Fairmont State (2013-2016) and Glenville State College (2011-2013).

Mazzulla attended West Virginia University, where he played collegiately for all four seasons under head coaches John Beilein and Bob Huggins. He advanced to the NCAA Tournament all four years and was named to the Big East Academic All-Star Team three times (2007, 2009-10) with the Mountaineers.

Breakdown

1:00 - Interviewed For a Head Coaching Job

4:00 - Takeaways From Successful Coaches

6:00 - Preparations for Summer League Coaching Job

9:00 - Player Development

12:30 - Retrieval Practice Leads to Retention

16:30 - Feedback

20:00 - Cold Calling

23:00 - Communicating Players

26:00 - Game Film

29:00 - Explaining to Players his Process

32:30 - Game Context