Most coaches take pride in their craft, especially when they have reached the highest level and earned a championship ring.

However, the approach was different for Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, as he believes that earning a title does not represent his identity. 

The 2024 NBA champion coach said that there are coaches better than him who never even reach the playoffs.

“I’m not a championship head coach. I’m just a guy that won a championship with a bunch of other people. It comes back to the identity piece. You start walking around saying… Oh, I’m a championship head coach.’ There’s coaches who are better than I am who may have never even gotten to the playoffs. You can’t start looking at success because of that,” Mazzulla said, via Derin McMains.

Mazzulla credited the entire Celtics organization for winning that championship in 2024, downplaying his role as a winner.

“I’m just a guy that won a championship with a group of people. We did it together. My identity cannot be wrapped up in that…Or else, you’re just a failure for the rest of your life because you may only get one,” he added. 

The recent Coach of the Year added that he has been given a group that could make a championship run, and that it is about chasing another. 

“Knowing that, I didn’t do anything. There’s a group of us that did this. And then it’s over. When you are fortunate enough to win… It tests your willpower. How are we going after more? After the first one, you’re kind of like in purgatory,” the Boston head coach said.

After winning a title in 2024, he became the youngest head coach to earn a title since Bill Russell in 1966. 

Mazzulla just won the recent Coach of the Year award after leading the Celtics to a 56-26 win-loss record despite missing superstar Jayson Tatum.