-
Tim BontempsESPN
CANTON, Mass. — Following the suspension of Boston Celtics Ime Udoka was suspended from the 2022-23 NBA Season for violating team rules. Joe Mazzulla, interim coach, stated Monday that he wants to continue to build upon the success of the Celtics’ last season to reach the NBA Finals.
Mazzulla stated that it’s not about one person carrying on the legacy, during the team’s media conference in the Boston suburbs. It’s about maintaining the identity of our players. Although we had our moments of struggle last season, at our best, our identity was clear. It was our defense. From a defensive standpoint it was our buy in. Next, it was sharing the ball with the offensive team and moving quickly.
“Keep the good things that we did last year and find ways to improve them, I believe is the best way to go.”
Everybody who stood at the podium Monday, Mazzulla and the players included, shared the same message: they were still processing the events of these past days. Udoka’s dramatic in-season turnaround saw Boston go from below.500 in January to being in the NBA Finals. It was the beginning of a long period with him as the franchise’s head coach.
That was the case for the players until last week. They all said they did not know what was happening before Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN broke the news that Udoka would be suspended from the team due to violating team rules. The players also admitted that they didn’t know much about what happened despite meeting with the ownership and the front office last week.
“It’s a lot of going on,” said Jaylen Brown Tatum also said that he hadn’t spoken to Udoka for a week since the events of last week. “Some things we could control, others we couldn’t. All we can do is move on.
“It was an initial reaction. I was, as you mentioned, a little confused. There isn’t much information available so it’s difficult for anyone to give an opinion on the process or the way things went. It’s best to try our best.
While the players acknowledged that they weren’t privy to what happened, and where things were heading, they also stated they understood the difficulty of the situation and the difficulties the Celtics faced in moving forward.
“Literally no-one knows anything at this time,” said Marcus SmartThe team’s longest-tenured and reigning Defensive player of the year,. “We are still waiting like everyone else. You, as a player would like more information. But that’s not our concern. It’s their life, the lives of those involved. We must respect their privacy. Even though you may be a player, it’s not your obligation to do so.
“Like me, they handled the situation in the best way possible with what they know and how they can do it. We’ll just have to go from there.”
Mazzulla is now in charge of the process of moving forward. He has risen from being the Division II Fairmont State head coach from 2017-19 to now serving as the Boston Celtics’ sideline coach, the Eastern Conference champions, and a team that is expected to win it all again this season.
While most of the Udoka’s staff was new to the franchise last season after Brad Stevens took over, Mazzulla was already with Boston in 2019 when he was appointed by Stevens as an assistant coach.
Smart was particularly clear about the importance of extra time for teams that are trying to process quite some information at the moment.
Smart stated, “It greatly helps.” Smart said that it would have been different if there was someone new to us that we were trying to establish that connection with.
Joe is a veteran. It’s easier to adapt to someone who has been there and knows you.
Mazzulla also discussed the two arrests he made back in college while playing at West Virginia University. One was for underage drink and aggravated attack in 2008, in which he pled guilt and paid a penalty, and another for domestic battery in 2009 after an incident at bar. The case was settled out-of-court.
Stevens stated last week that he carefully vetted these situations before hiring Mazzulla to his 2019 staff. He also said that he believes in Mazzulla’s “substantiveness” as a person. Mazzulla stated that he has taken the lessons from those situations to improve his character.
“Listen, I’ve made mistakes. I’m not perfect. I have hurt people and had to learn from them to be a better man. This is what I have tried to put my focus on.
“How do I reclaim my identity? What can I do to rely on my faith What can I do to make a difference for the people around my? “I’ve always been surrounded by good people.”
Although he declined to give any details, he said that he was not the same person as before.
Mazzulla explained that as you become a person, it becomes more difficult to create an identity. “It’s about ‘How can you develop an identity? How do I create a foundation which is for me my faith, and then how can it be used to positively impact the lives of those around me? It’s something that I learned all my life.
The Celtics will now try to shift their focus to the beginning of training camp here Tuesday. They will not only be without Udoka but also Robert Williams, their starting centre, who will be out for 8-12 weeks before returning to basketball activities after knee surgery. Danilo GallinariLate last month, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
But, despite what has happened over the past weeks, it hasn’t affected the group’s belief that it can take the team to the next level and win its first NBA championship since 2008.
“Can we (win) a championship?” Do you believe this? Tatum responded to questions about whether Tatum believed the team had what it took to win the title.
“Absolutely, I believe that. I also think that everyone else in that locker room does that.”