Joe Mazzulla, the head coach of the Boston Celtics, has been awarded the NBA Coach of the Year for the 2025-26 season. Mazzulla, who previously referred to the award as 'stupid' in March, emphasized the collective effort of his coaching staff in his acceptance speech. Under his leadership, the Celtics secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, despite significant challenges, including the absence of star player Jayson Tatum due to Achilles surgery. Mazzulla, at 37, is the youngest recipient of this award since Phil Johnson in 1975 and becomes the fourth Celtics coach to earn this honor, joining the ranks of legendary figures like Red Auerbach. Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens commended Mazzulla for his dedication and ability to develop players. The award is based on regular-season performance, with votes collected from a panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters.