Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla rarely smiles when his team plays or when he talks to reporters before or after games. Most basketball fans have gotten used to Mazzulla’s no-nonsense, if not intense, approach.
On Monday, a different side of the coach surprised fans. When WWE Raw visited the TD Garden, Mazzulla was all smiles when he saw his face appear on the arena’s huge center screen.
Fans reacted to the clip that created a stir on social media. One fan wrote:
“I’ve never seen this man Joe smile before.”
Another fan added:
“That’s the most personality I’ve seen out of Joe Mazzulla, ever.”
One more fan continued:
“Mazzulla got the biggest pop of the night.”
Another fan commented:
“Someone get Mazzulla in the ring.”
One fan tweeted:
“Celtics in the building and the vibes just got dangerously chaotic.”
With spots for Wrestlemania 42 in April getting more fiercely contested, fans trooped to the Celtics’ home arena for all-out action. During a lull in the event, the announcer introduced combo guard Derrick White, who received a raucous welcome from the fans.
As White turned to his right, Joe Mazzulla’s smiling face lit up the screen. The coach playfully pretended to attack White as the fans’ appreciation became a deafening roar.
Mazzulla is a fan of the fight game. He is an avid supporter of the UFC and sometimes prepares the Celtics with stories and quotes from legends of the martial arts game. He is apparently a WWE fan who couldn’t hide his excitement when Monday Night Raw visited TD Garden.
Joe Mazzulla Receives Customized WWE Championship Belt From Triple H
Joe Mazzulla didn’t go home empty-handed on Monday after joining thousands of screaming fans to watch Monday Night Raw. WWE Chief Content Officer met with the 2024 NBA champ to give Mazzulla a customized championship belt.
Mazzulla’s face broke into a smile when he saw a massive Boston Celtics logo in the middle of the belt. He thanked the legendary wrestler for the gift before posing for photos with him.
Triple H shared the meeting after the show ended and wrote:
“Great to see @celtics coach Joe Mazzulla @tdgarden … Now you’re ready for #WWERAW.”
The Celtics have a few days off before hosting the OKC Thunder in a highly anticipated showdown on Thursday. Mazzulla should be hyped up for the encounter following his Monday Night Raw experience.
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