Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

Golden State Warriors guard Phil Pressey (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Brad Stevens has been quite proactive in rebuilding the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff around Joe Mazzulla.

Pure coaching experience was arguably the Celtics’ biggest flaw in the 2022-23 season, in which Mazzulla unexpectedly had to take over for the fired Ime Udoka. His inexperience was glaring at times. The C’s also lost assistant Will Hardy to the Utah Jazz, and Mazzulla lost assistant Damon Stoudamire to Georgia Tech during the season.

So, Stevens quickly sprung to action as the Celtics’ off-season kicked off, and he’s reportedly found his third new assistant coach for Mazzulla – another former Celtics player.


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  • That would be former guard Phil Pressey, who is set to become the latest addition to the Celtics’ coaching staff, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.

    Pressey, 32, originally signed with the Celtics as an undrafted free agent in 2013, then played two seasons in Boston, followed by a third season splitting time between the 76ers and Suns. He continued his playing career in Europe before announcing his retirement last June.

    After retiring from playing, Pressey immediately joined the coaching staff at Missouri then served as an assistant for one season. So, the Celtics will mark his professional coaching debut.

  • BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 17: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics watches action during the third quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on May 17, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

    Joe Mazzulla (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

  • In light of that, Pressey obviously doesn’t solve the experience problem on the Celtics’ staff. Stevens has already addressed that with the addition of former Celtic Sam Cassell, who is entering his 15th season as an NBA coach. Cassell previously served as an assistant coach for the Wizards, Clippers, and Sixers.

    The C’s also gained significant coaching experience with the addition of Charles Lee, who was most recently the associate head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, and was an assistant in 2021 when they won the NBA championship. Lee is entering his 10th season as a coach.

  • That’s not to say that Pressey can’t help, or could be on his way to becoming a good coach. He’s just not going to make the impact on the team that Cassell or Lee will make. But it may help the locker room to have a relatively young former player guiding them.

    Click here for complete Boston Celtics coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

    Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

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