2026 -- H 8597

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING RHODE ISLAND NATIVE JOSEPH MAZZULLA, HEAD COACH OF

THE BOSTON CELTICS, ON BEING NAMED THE 2025-2026 NATIONAL BASKETBALL

ASSOCIATION COACH OF THE YEAR

     Introduced By: Representatives Fellela, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Place, Fascia, Hull, J.
Lombardi, Noret, Costantino, and Lima

     Date Introduced: May 28, 2026

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Since being named the Boston Celtics Head Coach on September 22, 2022,

Coach Mazzulla has led the Celtics to 4 straight first-place finishes in the Atlantic Division, 4

straight playoff berths, an NBA championship in 2024, and 2 other trips to the Eastern

Conference Finals. Overall, the Celtics under his leadership have compiled an astounding .726

winning percentage in the last 4 NBA regular seasons; and

     WHEREAS, Thanks to the sterling guidance and basketball acumen provided by Coach

Mazzulla, forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have developed into NBA superstars and

MVP contenders, and he has helped to develop guards Payton Pritchard and Derrick White into

All-Star-caliber players; and

     WHEREAS, Entering the 2025-2026 season, expectations were low for the Celtics after

Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles tear during the 2025 playoffs, an injury that also forced him to

sit out nearly the entire first half of the current NBA season. Most people expected the Celtics to

suffer through a difficult rebuilding season, but instead Coach Mazzulla led the Celtics to a

sterling 56-26 record, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, and the fourth best record

in the NBA. The Celtics also once again won the Atlantic Division and advanced to the NBA

Playoffs. For these reasons, Boston Celtics Head Coach Joseph Mazzulla was named the NBA

2025-2026 Coach of the Year, the first Celtics Head Coach in 46 years to win this prestigious

award; and

     WHEREAS, Born and raised in Johnston, Rhode Island, and a graduate of Bishop

Hendricken High School, Coach Mazzulla has been a leader his entire life. From leading West

Virginia to the NCAA Final Four, and the Celtics to an NBA Championship, Coach Mazzulla has

developed into a great leader whom other people can count on. Coach Joe Mazzulla is also a

family man and a man of great faith, who has made all Rhode Islanders proud to call him a native

son; now, therefore be it

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

heartily and joyously congratulates Boston Celtics Head Coach Joseph Mazzulla on being named

the 2025-2026 NBA Coach of the Year; 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 Boston Celtics Head Coach Joseph Mazzulla.

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