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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING BOSTON CELTICS HEAD COACH AND JOHNSTON NATIVE JOE

MAZZULLA ON WINNING THE 2024 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP

     Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Fellela, Serpa, Costantino,
O'Brien, Hull, Solomon, Messier, and Chippendale

     Date Introduced: January 28, 2025

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, The Boston Celtics, thanks to the sterling leadership and outstanding

coaching provided by Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, won a record-setting eighteenth NBA

championship in 2024; and

     WHEREAS, Joe Mazzulla was born in Johnston and attended Bishop Hendricken High

School where he excelled at basketball, leading Hendricken to three Rhode Island State Titles,

with the last one taking place during his senior season when he hit a clutch last second shot to win

the championship; and

     WHEREAS, After graduating from high school, Joe accepted a basketball scholarship

offer from the University of West Virginia, where he once again excelled on the court and led his

team to success at the highest levels, which included winning the 2002 National Invitation

Tournament, a second-round NCAA upset victory over a powerhouse Duke team, and a NCAA

Final Four appearance in his senior season which included a thrilling Elite Eight victory over a

loaded Kentucky Wildcats team. As a testament to the respect he earned from his teammates and

the coaching staff at West Virginia, he was selected to serve as the Captain of the West Virginia

Basketball team in his final season of NCAA competition; and

     WHEREAS, After graduating from college, Joe entered the coaching profession, a

natural career path for someone of his character and vast leadership skills. He served as an

Assistant Coach at Glenville State, Fairmont State, and with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G

League before he was named the Head Coach of Fairmont State in 2017. In his second season as

the Head Coach of Fairmont State, Coach Mazzulla led them to an appearance in the 2019 NCAA

Division II Tournament; and

     WHEREAS, In 2019, Coach Mazzulla was hired to serve as an Assistant Coach with the

Boston Celtics. Two years later, on September 22, 2022, he was named the Interim Head Coach

of the Boston Celtics, where he immediately proceeded to impress the entire league with his

coaching acumen, amazing leadership abilities and superb play calling. Coach Mazzulla was

named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for October and November of 2022 and was

named the official Boston Celtics Head Coach on January 30, 2023. Coach Mazzulla proceeded

to lead the Celtics to an outstanding 57-15 record and a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division

as the Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals. Bigger things were yet to come during the

next NBA season; and

     WHEREAS, In the 2023-2024 NBA season, Coach Mazzulla led the Boston Celtics to

the best record in the NBA with an outstanding 64-18 record, seven games better than the second-

best record in the NBA. Under his guidance, Jayson Tatum earned First-Team All-NBA honors,

and earned a selection to the All-Star game with teammate Jaylen Brown, with Jrue Holiday and

Derrick White earning NBA Second-Team All-Defensive Honors. Once again, Coach Mazzulla

earned Eastern Conference Coach of the Month awards, this time for December of 2023 and

March of 2024; and

     WHEREAS, As good as the Celtics were in the regular season, they were even better in

the NBA playoffs. The team easily defeated bitter rival the Miami Heat, 4-1 in the first round of

the NBA playoffs. The Celtics then proceeded to quickly dispatch the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 in

the next round, and then swept the Indiana Pacers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals to reach

the NBA Finals, where they faced the Dallas Mavericks and their phenom point guard, Luka

Dončić. In a highly anticipated NBA Finals, many were questioning whether the Celtics could

contain Dončić and the Mavericks high-powered offense, but the Celtics answered the call as they

dominated the series, holding Dallas to under 100 points in four of the five games as the Celtics

won The Finals series 4-1, earning an NBA record-setting 18th NBA Championship. Coach

Mazzulla also became the youngest coach to win an NBA Championship since Bill Russell in

1969, also for the Celtics; and

     WHEREAS, Coach Mazzulla recently returned to Rhode Island on September 3, 2024,

visiting the State House with the championship trophy to celebrate his success with his family

and many friends as well as the many fans of the Boston Celtics located in our state. Coach

Mazzulla graciously thanked the people of Rhode Island for "contributing to the village that

helped raise him", and went on to talk about all the locals he bumped into on his return visit to

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Rhode Island who gave him car rides, bought him lunch, babysat him, went to his games and

supported him and his family over the years; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

congratulates Boston Celtics Head Coach, and Johnston native, Joe Mazzulla, on winning the

NBA Championship in 2024; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Boston Celtics Head Coach, Joe Mazzulla.

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