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Sports

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla wins NBA Coach of the Year award he called ‘stupid’

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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla called the Coach of the Year award “stupid.”

Now, he’s won it.

“I don’t need it. I think it’s a stupid award,” Mazzulla said back in March after being asked about the possibility of winning it due to the Celtics’ regular-season success without some of its stars, including Jayson Tatum, for most of the year.

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Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics watching during NBA playoff game at TD Garden

Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics watches during the second quarter of Game Five in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on April 28, 2026. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The award’s winner was announced on Tuesday night, as Mazzulla helped lead the Celtics to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record, finishing four games behind the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.

But Mazzulla wasn’t just calling the award stupid for the sake of it – he believed it should be a “coaching staff of the year” honor rather than one person getting hardware.

CELTICS COACH JOE MAZZULLA QUIPS THAT HE WISHED REF A ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ IN IRATE POSTGAME OUTBURST

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Mazzulla, discussing the honor on Tuesday night, told NBC as much.

“The long nights, the trips, game plans, the video guys that are clipping up the film and coding it, the assistants who are putting in the game plan, I think there’s so much that goes into winning one game,” Mazzulla explained. “It starts with the players, but it goes to our staff. I feel bad that they’re not here — but forever indebted to the guys that we have that give up time with their families and their time to give us a chance to win every day.”

Mazzulla is the fourth Celtics coach to win the award, which is named after the legendary Red Auerbach, who won it in 1965. Tom Heinsohn (1973) and Bill Fitch (1980) have also received the Red Auerbach Trophy in their careers.

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla calling to players on sidelines during NBA Finals game

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla calls to players during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks in Boston on June 6, 2024. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Auerbach helped lead the Celtics to nine NBA titles, including eight in a row from 1959-66, during his Hall of Fame career.

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Mazzulla was able to capture that glory in 2024, as the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 4-1, to notch yet another Larry O’Brien Trophy for Boston’s mantle.

Unfortunately for the Celtics, they were unable to make it far in these playoffs despite their stars getting healthy late in the season. They were shockingly bounced in the first round after losing Game 7 to the Philadelphia 76ers.

But Mazzulla, 37, is now the youngest head coach to receive the Coach of the Year award since the legendary Phil Jackson won it in 1975, per the NBA.

While Mazzulla wanted to point at his staff, Celtics president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, praised his fourth-year head coach.

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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla watching game action at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla watches the game during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on Jan. 12, 2026. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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“This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff,” Stevens said. “With all of our unknowns entering the season, Joe did a fantastic job building and growing a team. He pours everything he has into competing at a high level, while helping players find the best versions of themselves within the framework of a team.”

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff finished in second place, which is the same spot he found himself in after last season, and San Antonio Spurs leader Mitch Johnson finished in third place.

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Sports

Noah Gragson subtly calls out Jimmie Johnson’s paid autograph setup with blunt invite

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Noah Gragson took a jab at Jimmie Johnson’s San Diego autograph session arrangement this week. The Front Row Motorsports driver offered fans a free alternative just as the seven-time champion’s wristband-restricted signing event drew attention on social media.

Johnson announced an autograph session scheduled for 1:15 PM ET on Saturday (June 20), at the NASCAR Pit Shop Green Zone, with a notable restriction. The wristband required for the signing was limited to customers who purchased the 2026 Jimmie Johnson Carvana San Diego die-cast at the NASCAR Pit Shop on June 19, and autographs are strictly limited to that purchased die-cast only.

Johnson posted the announcement on X:

“Looking forward to getting back behind the wheel and spending some time with fans this weekend. Planning to stop by the autograph session? Be sure to check the details on the graphic. Wristbands are limited, and there are a few important guidelines to know.”

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The post laid out the purchase requirement explicitly. It is designed to manage demand for what is expected to be one of the weekend’s most popular fan interactions, given Jimmie Johnson’s San Diego roots. But it also required a financial transaction before a fan could get an autograph at all.

Noah Gragson responded on X with:

“Reminder that you don’t need that wristband bullshit at our merch hauler. I’ll sign for all of you. No purchase necessary 😃”

Reminder that you don’t need that wristband bullshit at our merch hauler. I’ll sign for all of you. No purchase necessary😃

The post drew a wave of supportive replies from fans who appreciated the effort.

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Jimmie Johnson is set for one of the busiest weekends of his part-time career at Naval Base Coronado, attempting double duty across both the Truck Series and Cup Series in his hometown. He will drive the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Tricon Garage in Friday’s Truck Series race, before competing in Sunday’s Cup Series Anduril 250.

It will be his first Truck Series start since 2008. For Cup, Johnson will drive the No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE for Legacy Motor Club, the team he co-owns. He grew up in nearby El Cajon, California, and has described the weekend as a full-circle moment, with his grandparents, both military, buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery near the base.


Noah Gragson feels the San Diego street race will be “an incredible week for our sport”

Noah Gragson - NASCAR Xfinity Series at the Brickyard. Source: GettyNoah Gragson - NASCAR Xfinity Series at the Brickyard. Source: Getty
Noah Gragson – NASCAR Xfinity Series at the Brickyard. Source: Getty

The inaugural race at Naval Base Coronado carries weight beyond the standard Cup Series weekend given its setting. An active military base hosting the sport for the first time, built into the roads and runways of Naval Air Station North Island, with the event timed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy.

For Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Front Row Motorsports team, the occasion carries its own significance.

“This is such an incredible week for our sport,” Noah Gragson said via Speedway Media. “To be able to put on a race at an active military base, in front of so many heroes that protect our freedoms each and every day, is an unbelievable honor.”

He broke down what he expects from the 16-turn circuit specifically:

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“I’ve been able to run laps on sim, and see videos of the layout, and it’s definitely going to be a challenging course but also a lot of fun. Each section of the track has its own unique character. There are some technical turns mixed in with some faster, sweeping turns, and then some areas where it will get crazy, especially on the initial start and on restarts,” he added.

Rush Truck Centers returns as the primary sponsor on Noah Gragson’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the San Diego Street course weekend. The partnership covers 12 races for him in 2026. The remaining dates after San Diego include Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, Daytona International Speedway on August 29, Bristol Motor Speedway on September 19, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 4, and Talladega Superspeedway on October 25.