This season has been successful for the Boston Celtics, but it didn’t start that way. There were many speed bumps Boston had to overcome, including the suspension of former head coach Ime Udoka just days before training camp.
Joe Mazzulla was named the roster’s interim head coach, and as he formed his staff, former NBA player JJ Redick was reportedly offered a position. During a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Redick revealed the reason he hasn’t joined the Celtics coaching staff.
“One day I would like to be a coach,” Redick said. “I don’t feel like the timing is right now. And speaking of timing, I’m at the end of the round, we’re having lunch, and I was like, ‘Joe, by the way, what time do I have to be in Boston?’ And for some reason my brain hadn’t quite grasped the fact that training camp started this week. This week, and so he said, ‘Tuesday, I need you on Tuesday for the first practice session.’ And that was Sunday afternoon. And I’m like, okay, I don’t know if I can swing that.
Mazzulla was quickly installed as Boston’s interim head coach, being one of the few coaches to remain on Udoka’s staff since Brad Stevens in Boston.
As for Redick, he’s only been retired a couple of seasons, but when he was in the league he was one of the best three-pointers in the business. Adding him to the staff would give the Celtics great veteran presence and an elite shooter who would propel Boston forward.
An interesting tidbit Redick revealed was how fast things moved. He said he received a few coaching offers this past offseason and within days met with both Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla.
“I’ve received some unsolicited coaching offers this past offseason, and the Boston thing just happened so quickly,” Redick said. “You know, it was like a Thursday when the news broke. I spoke to Brad on Friday. And on Sunday I played golf with Joe.”
While the job offer was reportedly on the table, Redick was away from Boston due to a meeting with the Celtics. He was already planning to play golf with Austin Ainge, and Mazzulla happened to be the fourth member of their group.
“I think it was five days before the training camp started. So most of the trainers that are available already have a job, you know what I mean? Or her head coach takes some time off, and Joe [was] sort of slipping into that in-between position, I think it was just a unique thing. I wanted to go to Boston. To be clear, that was already planned. I wanted to go to Boston. My friend Ryan Hergerter throws this backyard party every year with a food truck and a band, and I’ve never been there. Our children the same age. So I went there anyway. And every time I travel, I try to play a round of golf. So Austin, Danny’s [Ainge] Son, and I wanted to play Sunday morning as it was, and then it just so happened that Joe ended up fourth.
