Bill Simmons Picks Celtics' Joe Mazzulla as NBA Coach of the Year

The Ringer host believes Mazzulla's ability to reintegrate Jayson Tatum was key to the Celtics' surprise season.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 6:54am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a basketball game or match, with sharp, overlapping planes of color and form representing the dynamic action on the court.A cubist interpretation of the Celtics' surprising season under Coach Joe Mazzulla's leadership.Boston Today

Sports media personality Bill Simmons has named Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla as his pick for NBA Coach of the Year. Simmons cited Mazzulla's ability to lead the Celtics to a 56-26 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference, despite low preseason expectations due to injuries and roster turnover. Mazzulla was able to transform Jaylen Brown into an MVP candidate and seamlessly reincorporate star Jayson Tatum after his early-season return from an Achilles injury.

Why it matters

The NBA Coach of the Year award is one of the league's most prestigious individual honors, recognizing the top head coach who led their team to unexpected success. Simmons' endorsement of Mazzulla highlights the young coach's rapid rise and the Celtics' remarkable turnaround this season.

The details

Several experts have cited the NBA Coach of the Year award as one of the hardest to vote for due to the stiff competition. The frontrunners this season include Oklahoma City's Mark Daigneault, San Antonio's Mitch Johnson, Detroit's JB Bickerstaff, and Atlanta's Quin Snyder. However, Simmons believes Mazzulla's work with the Celtics, who exceeded their preseason win total projection by 14 games, makes him the clear choice.

  • The NBA announced the voting schedule for individual awards would be delayed this season to resolve grievances over the league's controversial 65-game rule.
  • The Celtics exceeded their preseason over/under win total of 42 games, finishing the regular season 56-26.

The players

Joe Mazzulla

The head coach of the Boston Celtics, who led the team to a 56-26 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference despite low preseason expectations.

Jayson Tatum

The star player for the Boston Celtics, who returned from an Achilles injury earlier than expected and was seamlessly reintegrated into the team by Mazzulla.

Jaylen Brown

The Celtics' star player who was transformed into an MVP candidate under Mazzulla's coaching.

Bill Simmons

The host of The Ringer podcast and a prominent sports media personality who has named Mazzulla as his pick for NBA Coach of the Year.

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What they’re saying

“The Mazzulla thing is nuts. Their over-under was 42 (wins), and they went 56 and 26. The team played hard. I think they took maybe three games off out of the 82.”

— Bill Simmons, Host, The Ringer Podcast

“The thing that impressed me the most was how they brought (Jayson) Tatum back into it, and I think that's what pushed it for me—(not) the fact that they won 56 games, but the fact that they brought this star back without upsetting anything that they just built over the last four months.”

— Bill Simmons, Host, The Ringer Podcast

What’s next

The NBA has delayed the voting schedule for individual awards this season to resolve grievances over the league's controversial 65-game rule, giving voters more time to consider their choices for Coach of the Year and other honors.

The takeaway

Joe Mazzulla's rapid rise as head coach of the Boston Celtics has earned him high praise from prominent sports media figures like Bill Simmons, who believes Mazzulla's ability to reintegrate star player Jayson Tatum and transform Jaylen Brown into an MVP candidate make him the clear choice for NBA Coach of the Year.