Paul Pierce made a recent appearance on former New England Patriots star Julian Edelman's podcast, Games with Names. Naturally, the Boston Celtics were a topic of conversation.
That discussion included Edelman asking the Basketball Hall of Famer for his opinion on Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Paul Pierce is a big fan of Coach Mazzulla☘️ pic.twitter.com/Y9Q4pu3g8S
— Games with Names (@gameswithnames) August 20, 2025
"I love Mazzulla," responded Pierce. "He fits the kinda Boston mentality. I like that he's young. He can relate to the players."
When Mazzulla had to make the jump from sitting behind the bench to taking the helm for Boston, at 34, he became the NBA's youngest active head coach.
Since getting thrown into the fire right before training camp in 2022, the Johnston, Rhode Island native has infused his mentality into the teams he coaches.
Mazzulla's ability to help the Celtics frame the situations they encounter, especially when adversity strikes, is a reflection of the buy-in he has from his players.
So is their willingness to test out concepts that will enable them to hit whatever curveballs might come at them, especially in the playoffs. They capture the trust and relationship between the Celtics' head coach and those on their roster.
"I like his mentality," Pierce told Edelman. "I like how his press conferences are. He's kind of like a no-nonsense type of coach, but the players love him. Yeah, he's a great fit. He's going to be there for a long time."
Ownership's perspective on Mazzulla's extension
The decision to give Mazzulla a multi-year contract extension earlier this month sent a clear signal to the Celtics' locker room. It's a move that provides organizational stability. It can also give their head coach peace of mind.
"I think Bill and I both felt, and Brad, that it was a great thing to lock in Joe and have him be happy and empowered," Wyc Grousbeck explained to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. "We're trying to empower Joe to be the championship coach that he is, and I love the way he energizes the team."
The extension can help to get the best from Mazzulla and his roster. While Boston is entering a projected gap year from NBA title contention, the franchise will benefit from that this season and beyond.
"I'm really excited to see what he does in this kind of environment," conveyed Chisholm. "I think people will really appreciate what he's all about. When he doesn't have the loaded team, what can he do? And I think that's going to be really interesting, and I have every confidence he's going to crush it."