Joe Mazzulla’s close relationship with Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has been chronicled multiple times in recent years. But, Mazzulla shared more about his friendship with the renowned soccer coach than ever before in a recent episode of the “Men In Blazers” podcast.
The 34-year-old Celtics head coach revealed that he first reached out to Guardiola a few years back.
“We share a similar beginning,” Mazzulla said on the podcast. “He was coaching Barcelona’s B team; I was in Maine’s G League team. They could have easily gone for a bigger name, but they go to this guy sitting on the back bench with no experience.”
Mazzulla, of course, is referring to the fact that President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and the Celtics’ front office selected him to be the Celtics’ interim head coach after Ime Udoka was suspended in 2023, despite having far less experience than other potential candidates. Guardiola was picked to be head coach fifteen years ago, replacing then-head coach Frank Rijkaard.
Today, Mazzulla is fresh off his first NBA title with the Celtics. Guardiola’s Manchester City team has won four straight Premier League titles.
Still, as the Celtics look to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the 2017 Golden State Warriors, Mazzulla is absorbing all he can.
“The biggest thing I wanted to take from him was: What’s it like before you win? What are the challenges that come with winning the first one? And what are you like now that you’ve won,” Mazzulla said.
“He has seen all those steps, and it just gives you great perspective as to: Okay, if you’re gonna do this for a long time, here’s what to expect, here’s how to adapt, and here’s how to look at it.”
Mazzulla said as he’s gotten to know Guardiola over the years, he’s been impressed with his overall skillset.
“He can manage talent, and he can develop talent,” he said. “When you’re taking a look at some of the best coaches of all time, they don’t necessarily have a weakness. They’re able to be great in the multiple areas of coaching.”
Mazzulla also said that in addition to managing his team’s starters, Guardiola has taught him how to better incorporate role players,
“His ability to take other guys and fit them into a role to where they’re just as important as their best players, he has that well-roundedness, and that’s something that I thought that I could really learn from,” he said. “So, I appreciate his humility, and he’s helped me so much in all three of those areas. It’s been a fun journey. He’s helped me so much.”
Joe Mazzulla is drawing from soccer
It’s no secret that Mazzulla draws from other sports when it comes to scheming for basketball games. The Celtics coach has brought up soccer and football on multiple occasions at the podium before and after games, and he’s facilitated games of pickleball, frisbee, flag football, and other sports at Celtics practices this season.
In the interview with Roger Bennett, Mazzulla shared just how he believes the modern NBA has even more parallels to soccer than before.
“One of the things we’re working on now is teams are playing more zone defense in the NBA,” Mazzulla said. “What you see in basketball is the timing of your cuts are always off. And that’s the difference between football and basketball. In basketball, you see a lot of guys cut either before the guy who has the ball sees you, or you do it too late. And so, the timing of your cuts in zone is very similar to the timing of your runs in football to create that space. That’s a huge thing that I’m always looking at.”
“When I look at our roster, I look at a football team, because we have so much talent and ability at every position — how do you maximize that?” Mazzulla continued. “It’s a beautiful way to disperse your talent and make everybody just as important. I think that’s where the real connection comes from.”
