Former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy has been appointed as a senior adviser by the Boston Celtics, and head coach Joe Mazzula is delighted to work with the 61-year-old.
“Anytime you can add like high-character, high-level, professional people, I think it’s a no-brainer,” Mazzulla said in an interview. “We’re fortunate that he’s here, not just for the coaching staff, but for everyone, and he’s been through every imaginable situation in the NBA, in coaching, in FIBA, in the NBA, and we’re just lucky to have him.” He’s also an excellent listener and worker. So, even in the first few weeks, he’s added a lot of value.”
During his coaching career, Van Gundy coached the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets. He finished the regular season with a record of 430-318 and the playoffs with a record of 44-44.
“Try to run a lot of stuff by him,” Mazzulla suggested. “It’s nice to have someone who hasn’t been here before who can give an unbiased opinion on where he thinks things are and where they need to go.” Because he isn’t around all the time, he acts as a new set of eyes. And he’s looking at it objectively, which provides us an advantage because you view it from a new perspective.”
In the 2023 NBA Finals, the Celtics were defeated in seven games by the Miami Heat. They made several offseason transactions, including moving Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies and Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks. Kristaps Porzingis was acquired from the Washington Wizards, and Jrue Holiday was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers.
This season, the Celtics are slated to start Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Porzingis.
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