Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla describes his ‘wrestling with God’

Boston Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla discussed how he always wanted to become a deacon and has been “wrestling with God” to ensure that his desire to keep “winning” on the basketball court does not make him ungrateful for what he has accomplished. 

Mazzulla appeared on the “Godsplaining” podcast with Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress earlier this month. Mazzulla discussed his Catholic beliefs and how he works to reconcile his faith’s demands with the competitive environment of professional sports. 

When asked to identify his next “professional goal,” Mazzulla responded, “I just became eligible to be a deacon, which I’ve always wanted to do.”

In the Catholic Church, a deacon is a type of ordained minister who can perform many of the same tasks as priests including baptism, leading the faithful in prayer, witnessing marriages and conducting funeral and wake services. While married men can become deacons, a deacon is not eligible to remarry without special permission should his wife die. The position of deacon is available to men aged 35 and older.

In addition to bringing up his desire to become a deacon, Mazzulla detailed how he has been “wrestling with God” about how much he can focus on “winning” as a basketball coach. 

“Do I get greedy and want more?” he asked. “How do you find this space of wanting more yet being grateful for what God has given you?”

“My biggest fear is 10 years from now, I wake up and I’m the rich young ruler and life has passed me by and I’m not willing to give up my treasures that I’ve had … on this Earth because … I’ve given everything I had to a worldliness.”

Kress agreed with Mazzulla’s analysis, maintaining that “one of the greatest tensions is that you have to be detached from the things of this life” while noting that “We are free to enjoy the good things as well.”

Kress described “that kind of ability to enjoy them and to strive and push yourself and the Lord wants us to be excellent but to not be attached to it” as “such a tension.”

“That’s the space that I’m in spiritually,” Mazzulla responded. “I think it’s a difficult space to be in.”

While Mazzulla discussed how he was brought up in the Catholic faith, he acknowledged that “as a kid, I think it’s easier to believe … that your identity is in basketball” than to believe that “someone died for you and gave up their entire life for you.”

He recalled how he missed a year of playing basketball in college due to an injury: “It was the first time in my life that I was without the game of basketball and you don’t realize how much you’re filling your void, your spiritual void, with worldliness.”

“You’re just filling the void of spirituality and you’re filling the void of the relationship with Christ in your basketball relationship, your relationships in the locker room, your relationship with success and failure,” Mazzulla contended. He insisted that having the game “taken” from him caused him to reflect on his true identity. 

Mazzulla advised athletes to “trust and believe that what God says about you is true and that your value and your gifts go beyond … the temporary ability to perform at a high level from an athletic standpoint.”

He stressed that it is “not eternal and it doesn’t last.”

Mazzulla’s appearance on the “Godsplaining” podcast is far from the first time he has used his platform to talk about his Catholic faith.

When asked for his thoughts on the fact that the head coaches for the two teams that made it into the NBA finals in 2024, including the Celtics, were black as well as the “plight of black coaches in the NBA,” Mazzulla replied, “I wonder how many of those have been Christian coaches.” Mazzulla’s remarks suggested that his identity as a Christian is more important than his skin color. 

A week later, after the Celtics won the NBA finals, Mazzulla wore a shirt emblazoned with the words “But First….Let Me Thank God.” Mazzulla also characterized his faith as “the most important thing” and shared his belief that “God put us here for a reason.” 

Boston Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla discussed how he always wanted to become a deacon and has been “wrestling with God” to ensure that his desire to keep “winning” on the basketball court does not make him ungrateful for what he has accomplished. 

Mazzulla appeared on the “Godsplaining” podcast with Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress earlier this month. Mazzulla discussed his Catholic beliefs and how he works to reconcile his faith’s demands with the competitive environment of professional sports. 

When asked to identify his next “professional goal,” Mazzulla responded, “I just became eligible to be a deacon, which I’ve always wanted to do.”

In the Catholic Church, a deacon is a type of ordained minister who can perform many of the same tasks as priests including baptism, leading the faithful in prayer, witnessing marriages and conducting funeral and wake services. While married men can become deacons, a deacon is not eligible to remarry without special permission should his wife die. The position of deacon is available to men aged 35 and older.

In addition to bringing up his desire to become a deacon, Mazzulla detailed how he has been “wrestling with God” about how much he can focus on “winning” as a basketball coach. 

“Do I get greedy and want more?” he asked. “How do you find this space of wanting more yet being grateful for what God has given you?”

“My biggest fear is 10 years from now, I wake up and I’m the rich young ruler and life has passed me by and I’m not willing to give up my treasures that I’ve had … on this Earth because … I’ve given everything I had to a worldliness.”

Kress agreed with Mazzulla’s analysis, maintaining that “one of the greatest tensions is that you have to be detached from the things of this life” while noting that “We are free to enjoy the good things as well.”

Kress described “that kind of ability to enjoy them and to strive and push yourself and the Lord wants us to be excellent but to not be attached to it” as “such a tension.”

“That’s the space that I’m in spiritually,” Mazzulla responded. “I think it’s a difficult space to be in.”

While Mazzulla discussed how he was brought up in the Catholic faith, he acknowledged that “as a kid, I think it’s easier to believe … that your identity is in basketball” than to believe that “someone died for you and gave up their entire life for you.”

He recalled how he missed a year of playing basketball in college due to an injury: “It was the first time in my life that I was without the game of basketball and you don’t realize how much you’re filling your void, your spiritual void, with worldliness.”

“You’re just filling the void of spirituality and you’re filling the void of the relationship with Christ in your basketball relationship, your relationships in the locker room, your relationship with success and failure,” Mazzulla contended. He insisted that having the game “taken” from him caused him to reflect on his true identity. 

Mazzulla advised athletes to “trust and believe that what God says about you is true and that your value and your gifts go beyond … the temporary ability to perform at a high level from an athletic standpoint.”

He stressed that it is “not eternal and it doesn’t last.”

Mazzulla’s appearance on the “Godsplaining” podcast is far from the first time he has used his platform to talk about his Catholic faith.

When asked for his thoughts on the fact that the head coaches for the two teams that made it into the NBA finals in 2024, including the Celtics, were black as well as the “plight of black coaches in the NBA,” Mazzulla replied, “I wonder how many of those have been Christian coaches.” Mazzulla’s remarks suggested that his identity as a Christian is more important than his skin color. 

A week later, after the Celtics won the NBA finals, Mazzulla wore a shirt emblazoned with the words “But First….Let Me Thank God.” Mazzulla also characterized his faith as “the most important thing” and shared his belief that “God put us here for a reason.”