Celtics’ Stevens teaches lesson in leadership in backing Mazzulla, allowing Joe to be Joe
Boston Celtics president of operation and de facto general manager Brad Stevens is held in high regard within the NBA these days. Rarified air, that is, along with San Antonio Spurs coach and team president Gregg Popovich, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and team president Pat Riley, etc.
In fact, Stevens was held in such high regard this year he was named the 2023-24 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year. In Celtics history, only Danny Ainge and the legendary Red Auerbach also won the award.
Of course, he was given kudos for building the 2024 NBA champion Celtics team. Deservedly so. But consider he also 1) hired former WVU player and Fairmont State University head coach Joe Mazzulla, and 2) stuck by him after the Celtics lost to the Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.
There were certainly calls for Mazzulla’s job at this time last year.
The point of this blog, however, is to point out how 1) patience and belief in your convictions most times pay off and 2) giving someone freedom to be themselves, to try different things, is a winning recipe for success.
On Tuesday, WEEI’s Justin Turpin posted a video of Stevens at a press conference as the NBA draft looms. The clip was of Stevens talking about Mazzulla.
“Every coach does it their own way, right?” Stevens asked. “He did all that stuff last year and continued building on it this year. I think that’s just who he is. He just has a unique way of thinking about team and building an inspiration to the team on what needs to happen on the court using different examples of different walks of life.”
Stevens smiled. Many of the Celtics were at the Toronto-Boston Red Sox baseball game at Fenway Park on Monday. They emerged from Boston’s dugout to thunderous cheers. Then Mazzulla – as well as Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingas – delivered the first pitch.
“I was sitting in front of Jaylen at the baseball game and Jaylen said, ‘Joe is going to take something from this and we’re going to be like playing shortstop of something next year to get ready for a game,’” Stevens said.
“I love it. It’s just the way he thinks. His brain is wired. It’s always on. He isn’t afraid to try things. He isn’t afraid to take a day and not do only basketball related things to make sure he maybe hits a chord with people that resonate with the whole team.
“I think we all love that about him. He’s really creative and has a really high motor. That’s the thing about Joe I don’t think we’ve talked enough about. He does all the basketball stuff too, but his motor is always running. He’s always on.”
Stevens paused.
“I actually hope he takes a couple weeks here and turns off – because it’ll be back on soon.”
That’s how you win Executive of the Year, folks. He spotted the talent in Mazzulla. He stuck with the coach when there were calls for his job. (In fact, he made the call early after last season’s end.) And, perhaps most importantly, he let Joe be Joe. He allowed him to be creative, to try different tactics, some that worked and some that didn’t, so the 35-year old could continue to grow.
And the payoff was an NBA title and the memory of Mazzulla dancing in the streets of Boston’s celebration parade.
A lesson in success for all of us.
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Mitch Vingle covered sports in West Virginia for 38 years. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchVingle and be sure to check out the rest of Wheelhouse Creative’s website for your marketing and advertising needs. If interested, call us at 304-905-6005.