Who is Joe Mazzulla? 34-year-old assistant set to become Celtics interim coach

The bombshell news of Celtics coach Ime Udoka's looming season-long suspension, first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, left fans wondering who would take Udoka's spot on the bench. 

Rather than Brad Stevens returning to coaching, Wojnarowski reports 34-year-old assistant Joe Mazzulla is set to take over on an interim basis.

Mazzulla has been an assistant on the Celtics staff since 2019, spending two seasons under Stevens and one under Udoka. He was a finalist for the Jazz's head coaching vacancy this past offseason. When the job ultimately went to fellow Celtics assistant Will Hardy, Udoka promoted Mazzulla to lead assistant.

Before joining the Celtics, Mazzulla spent two seasons as a head coach at Division II Fairmont State. He was also an assistant with the Celtics' G-League affiliate during the 2016-17 season.

Mazzulla played five seasons at West Virginia from 2006-2011. As a sophomore in 2008, he made a name for himself with 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in an NCAA Tournament win over Duke. He would go on to serve as a role player for the Mountaineers' Final Four team in 2010. 

Taking the reins of a team with high expectations can be a blessing and a curse. Mazzulla will get to lead a talented and deep roster that many believe can win a championship, an opportunity few 34-year-old coaches have. On the other hand, the margin for error is narrow for a team with title expectations.

After facing uncomfortable questions about Udoka's suspension, Mazzulla will have less than a month to get familiar with the top job before the regular season tips off.