4 things to know about Joe Mazzulla, Ime Udoka’s replacement as interim Celtics coach

The Celtics announced the suspension of Ime Udoka for the entire 2022-23 season on Thursday evening, and assistant coach Joe Mazzulla is reportedly about to get a big opportunity.

Udoka — who is under fire from the organization for his role in an “intimate, consensual” relationship with a team staffer — reportedly will not resign. Still, Mazzulla is expected to take

over as interim head coach in his absence.

Like Udoka, Mazzulla can draw from plenty of playing experience. A Rhode Island native, Mazzulla attended Bishop Hendricken, where he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2018. The

Hawks won three state championships during Mazzulla’s career, and he won the third by burying a crucial jumper in the closing seconds.

Mazzulla attended West Virginia, where he helped the Mountaineers win the NIT tournament as a freshman. As a sophomore, Mazzulla scored 13 points to help lift West Virginia to an upset win

over Duke in the second round of the NCAA tournament. He pursued overseas opportunities after college but never found a good fit.

When Udoka arrived, he revamped the Celtics’ assistant coaching staff, letting go long-time assistants like Jay Larranaga and Scott Morrison while bringing on plenty of newcomers, including

Will Hardy, Damon Stoudamire, Aaron Miles, and Ben Sullivan.

Two holdovers remained, however: Tony Dobbins (who has a good relationship with Jaylen Brown) and Mazzulla. Mazzulla arrived in 2019 and immediately drew notice for his work with Celtics

rookie Romeo Langford, whose shot needed work. Mazzulla taped a ping-pong paddle to Langford’s hand in an effort to keep his thumb off the ball. For the rest of the season, Mazzulla worked

with and helped develop Langford. The 22-year-old guard was traded in the deal to acquire Derrick White last season, but Mazzulla remains with the team.

Mazzulla was charged on three occasions in college. In 2008, he was charged with underage drinking and fighting with police at a Pirates game. In 2010, he was cited for public urination. In

2009, he allegedly grabbed a woman by the neck at a bar, earning him a suspension. All three incidents reportedly involved alcohol, and Mazzulla’s father Dan later told the Times West

Virginia that his son was getting treatment.

In 2010, Dan Mazzulla — who passed away in April 2020 — told the New York Times that Mazzulla had been dealing with “mood swings and depression.”

“If you see me play and the passion and the emotion that I play with, not being able to play for such a long period of time, I didn’t know where to release that,” Joe Mazzulla said at the

time. “I couldn’t find an identity and couldn’t find an outlet.”

Mazzulla has not been charged since those incidents. In March 2010, West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins told the New York Times that Mazzulla’s injuries threw him for a loop emotionally.

“Joe struggled,” Huggins said. “He struggled a bunch. To not know whether you’re going to play again and go in and go through the rehab, he was a little screwed up. Anyone who cares as much

as he cares would have been.”

When the Jazz conducted their coaching search to replace Quin Snyder this offseason, they interviewed two Celtics assistants: Will Hardy and Mazzulla. Hardy — considered a rising star in

coaching circles — got the job, but new Jazz executive Danny Ainge got a close look at Mazzulla while he was in Boston and brought him in for an interview as well.

Mazzulla’s coaching experience began in the college ranks. His first job came as an assistant at Glenville State, an NCAA Division II school. Two years later, he joined Fairmont State as an

assistant. After landing an assistant gig with the then-Maine Red Claws (now the Maine Celtics), Mazzulla returned to Fairmont State for the 2016-17 season as their head coach, leading the

school to a 43-17 record over two seasons. In his second year, he led the Falcons to the NCAA Division II tournament.

Two years after Mazzulla joined Fairmont State, Brad Stevens brought him back on board as an assistant when Purdue hired Micah Shrewsberry as an associate head coach.