The Boston Celtics will have an interim head coach on the sidelines this upcoming NBA season, and everyone outside of the Northeast may be wondering: Exactly who is Joe Mazzulla? In the wake of Celtics coach Ime Udoka being suspended for the entire 2022-23 season for having an intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise's staff, Mazzulla has been elevated from assistant to interim head coach of the defending Eastern Conference champions.

The move continues a meteoric rise for Mazzulla within basketball coaching circles. In three years, he has gone from coaching in Division II to the helm of a team projected to have the most wins in the NBA this season, according to Caesars Sportsbook.