Joe Mazzulla earns 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year honors
joe-mazzulla-coach-of-the-year-2025-26
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was named the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday night, capping the league’s annual awards schedule.
Mazzulla guided Boston to a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference despite the long-term absence of All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who missed most of the season with a torn Achilles tendon. The Celtics were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games in the first round of the playoffs.
Speaking on NBC’s pregame show ahead of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, Mazzulla credited the organization’s commitment to what he called “the process toward a championship.”
The 37-year-old, who turns 38 on June 30, is the youngest Coach of the Year recipient since Phil Johnson won the honor in 1975. Mazzulla owns a 238-90 record over four seasons in Boston, the best mark in the league during that span, and led the Celtics to the 2024 NBA championship.
He is the fourth coach in franchise history to capture the award, joining Red Auerbach (1964-65), Tommy Heinsohn (1972-73) and Bill Fitch (1979-80).
Voting results
Mazzulla appeared on 96 of 100 ballots and earned 62 first-place votes. Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff finished second for the second consecutive year, while San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson placed third.
End of awards season
With the Coach of the Year announcement, all 2025-26 NBA honors are now finalized. Earlier, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander collected both the MVP and Clutch Player of the Year trophies. Other winners included Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Most Improved Player), Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (Defensive Player of the Year), Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (Sixth Man of the Year) and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (Rookie of the Year).
Source: ESPN
