Overview
- Video shared by MMA reporter Ariel Helwani that circulated on X on Tuesday shows Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla doing pad work and grappling at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
- Mazzulla has practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu since 2017 and told reporters he recommitted to the discipline after becoming Boston’s head coach in 2022.
- He trains during the NBA season and seeks local MMA gyms on road trips as a way to stay mentally and physically sharp for coaching.
- Mazzulla works with MMA coach Eric Nicksick to learn in-fight communication methods and says he adapts those simpler, direct cues for timeouts and in-game instruction.
- The footage highlights an uncommon coaching profile in the NBA and suggests Mazzulla’s hands-on cross-training may reinforce the Celtics’ culture of discipline, composure, and clear communication.