Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla reveals why he had to apologize to Mitchell Robinson

Joe Mazzulla wasted little time addressing one memorable chapter of his history with Mitchell Robinson. Speaking with MMA insider Ariel Helwani, the Celtics head coach revealed that one of the first things he did was apologize to Robinson for repeatedly employing the “Hack-a-Robinson” strategy.

“I had to apologize to him for Hack-a-Robinson, but he took it well,” Mazzulla said with a laugh.

Of course, I had to ask about Mitch. Still heartbroken to see him go.

"I had to apologize to him for Hack-a-Robinson, but he took it well." – Joe Mazzulla pic.twitter.com/GI9tfrYhHo

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 14, 2026

The Celtics coach also recalled how Robinson broke one of their team iPads during a postseason game after closing out on Jaylen Brown. Now, Mazzulla won’t need to devise ways to neutralize Robinson’s elite offensive rebounding and rim protection. He gets to incorporate Robinson’s strengths into Boston’s frontcourt.

Robinson arrives after helping the New York Knicks capture the 2026 NBA championship. He should provide the Celtics with greater interior toughness on both ends of the floor. His physical presence should complement Boston’s defensive identity. Robinson should give Mazzulla another proven frontcourt option as the franchise looks to return to the Eastern Conference’s elite.

As for Mazzulla, his coaching ascent has been one of the NBA’s most remarkable success stories. After joining the Celtics as an assistant in 2019, he became interim head coach in 2022 before quickly earning the role permanently. He guided Boston to the 2024 NBA championship, becoming the youngest head coach to win a title since 1970. Mazzulla later captured the 2026 NBA Coach of the Year award. That’s after steering the Celtics through a challenging season that included Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury. Entering the 2026-27 campaign, Mazzulla owns a remarkable 274-111 combined regular-season and playoff record. That’s the highest winning percentage among coaches with at least 200 career games.

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