The Boston Celtics made some major staff changes this season after Joe Mazzulla took over as the interim head coach after the team announced a year-long suspension of Ime Udoka for an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. As Mazzulla tried to piece together a complete bench, he apparently reached out to a rising star in the media world, JJ Redick, who explained how he ended up golfing with Mazzulla and discussing a coaching position in Boston this offseason.
JJ Redick was offered a coach position in Joe Mazzulla coaching staff (via @OldManAndThree, @jj_redick). pic.twitter.com/pdAKx4m8Hg
— Alejandro Gaitán (@alejandroggo) December 8, 2022
The Celtics have not missed a beat so far this season, darting out to a 21-5 start to the 2022-23 campaign, which is the best record in the NBA and most recently throttled the Suns on the road in Phoenix on national television.
The talent in Boston was never the question coming off a Finals run and an offseason that only saw them add talent in the form of Malcolm Brogdon, but there was a bit of wonder as to how Mazzulla would handle being thrust into the head coaching role for a title contender. He has answered that emphatically by taking the reins and getting the most out of a Boston team that’s still missing a key piece in Robert Williams, with Boston operating as the best offense in NBA history so far.
For Redick, it had to have been a tempting opportunity, but as was the case when he retired from playing, his commitment has been to ensuring he has plenty of time in his schedule to be at home with his family. As such, he will continue podcasting, analyzing and pontificating on TV, and calling games, but as this Celtics season wears on, even he might have to wonder if he missed a chance to be part of a championship team while launching a coaching career.
