Full Breakdown
Joe Mazzulla Wins NBA Coach of the Year for 2025-26
5/28/2026, 12:49:50 PM
Award and Voting Summary
Mazzulla was named Coach of the Year with 62 first-place votes and 392 points, beating Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff (29 first-place votes, 312 points) and San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson (133 points). The honor is based solely on regular-season performance.
Celtics Regular-Season Performance
Boston finished 56-26, earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The success came despite Jayson Tatum missing most of the year with a torn Achilles and the offseason trade of Kristaps Porzingis, as well as the loss of Jrue Holiday and Al Horford. The Celtics were eliminated in Game 7 of the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Mazzulla’s Coaching Background
A former West Virginia guard, Mazzulla served as an assistant at Glenville State (2011-13), then head coach at Fairmont State (2013-19) with a 43-17 record. He spent 2016-17 as an assistant with the G League Maine Red Claws, joined the Boston staff in 2019, acted as interim head coach in 2022-23, and became the full-time head coach in 2023. At 37/38, he is the youngest Coach of the Year since Phil Johnson in 1975.
Key Numbers
- Regular-season record: 56-26 (.683)
- Celtics seed: No. 2 in the East
- Mazzulla’s four-year Celtics record: 238-90 (.726) – highest winning percentage among active coaches
- Age reported as 37 (Fox News) and 38 (ESPN)
Official Statements & Responses
Mazzulla thanked his family, players and “every member of the Celtics organization,” stressing that the honor “belongs to our staff” and urging that the award recognize the collective work of coaches, video analysts and assistants. Brad Stevens called the accolade “well-deserved recognition” for Mazzulla and his staff. The NBA reiterated that the award reflects regular-season results only.
Criticism & Opposition
Some analysts argued the award should factor playoff success, noting that New York Knicks coach Mike Brown, who led his team to the NBA Finals, received zero votes. Critics suggested the voting favored regular-season records over postseason impact.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Mazzulla’s age (38 in ESPN, 37 in Fox News). His remarks about the award appear in two phrasings: “I don’t need it. I think it’s a stupid award” and “I think it’s a stupid award.” No statements from other finalists were provided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I don’t need it. I think it’s a stupid award,” — Joe Mazzulla
- “The long nights, the trips, game plans, the video guys that are clipping up the film and coding it, the assistants who are putting in the game plan, I think there’s so much that goes into winning one game,” — Joe Mazzulla
- “Thank you to the Lord for the platform he has given me, and to my wife and family who support me on this journey.” — Joe Mazzulla
- “This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff,” — Brad Stevens
What’s Next
Boston will enter the 2026-27 offseason with Mazzulla under contract, evaluating roster moves to replace Tatum and other departures. The award may shape future coaching debates about the relative weight of regular-season dominance versus playoff performance.
