That will indeed be the case in Boston. The Celtics announced Friday they signed Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension. Mazzulla, 37, finished his third season with the Celtics and he’ll forever have the 2024 NBA title on his resume. Stevens was clear he wanted his coach around a long time — he got his wish.

Mazzulla's performance, coupled with the team's decision to part ways with Udoka, saw him land the gig on a full-time basis. He led the Celtics to a championship in 2024 and has amassed a 182-64 regular-season record over his first three seasons, with a 33-17 record in the postseason.