2026 -- S 3342 | |
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LC006538 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 | |
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S E N A T 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 | |
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Introduced By: Senators Dimitri, LaMountain, Britto, DiPalma, Felag, Lauria, Tikoian, | |
Date Introduced: June 02, 2026 | |
Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration | |
1 | WHEREAS, Since being named the Boston Celtics Head Coach on September 22, 2022, |
2 | Coach Mazzulla has led the Celtics to 4 straight first-place finishes in the Atlantic Division, 4 |
3 | straight playoff berths, an NBA championship in 2024, and 2 other trips to the Eastern |
4 | Conference Finals. Overall, the Celtics under his leadership have compiled an astounding .726 |
5 | winning percentage in the last 4 NBA regular seasons; and |
6 | WHEREAS, Thanks to the sterling guidance and basketball acumen provided by Coach |
7 | Mazzulla, forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have developed into NBA superstars and |
8 | MVP contenders, and he has helped to develop guards Payton Pritchard and Derrick White into |
9 | All-Star-caliber players; and |
10 | WHEREAS, Entering the 2025-2026 season, expectations were low for the Celtics after |
11 | Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles tear during the 2025 playoffs, an injury that also forced him to |
12 | sit out nearly the entire first half of the current NBA season. Most people expected the Celtics to |
13 | suffer through a difficult rebuilding season, but instead Coach Mazzulla led the Celtics to a |
14 | sterling 56-26 record, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, and the fourth best record |
15 | in the NBA. The Celtics also once again won the Atlantic Division and advanced to the NBA |
16 | Playoffs. For these reasons, Boston Celtics Head Coach Joseph Mazzulla was named the NBA |
17 | 2025-2026 Coach of the Year, the first Celtics Head Coach in 46 years to win this prestigious |
18 | award; and |
19 | WHEREAS, Born and raised in Johnston, Rhode Island, and a graduate of Bishop |
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1 | Hendricken High School, Coach Mazzulla has been a leader his entire life. From leading West |
2 | Virginia to the NCAA Final Four, and the Celtics to an NBA Championship, Coach Mazzulla has |
3 | developed into a great leader whom other people can count on. Coach Joe Mazzulla is also a |
4 | family man and a man of great faith, who has made all Rhode Islanders proud to call him a native |
5 | son; now, therefore be it |
6 | RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby heartily and joyously |
7 | congratulates Boston Celtics Head Coach Joseph Mazzulla on being named the 2025-2026 NBA |
8 | Coach of the Year; and be it further |
9 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
10 | transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Boston Celtics Head Coach Joseph Mazzulla. |
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LC006538 | |
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