For most NBA championship teams, the head coach is older than each player and has years of experience in said position.
Joe Mazzulla is an exception to both, and he’s proving so with every playoff game in 2024.
The Celtics head coach has led the franchise back to the NBA Finals in just his first full year with the job. In addition to Boston having a chance to break a tie with Los Angeles for the most titles in NBA history, Mazzulla can individually etch his name into the history books by becoming one of the youngest coaches to win the Finals.
The Sporting News lists where Mazzulla would rank among the youngest head coaches to win their first championship in NBA history.
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Who is the youngest head coach to win an NBA championship?
Harry “Buddy” Jeannette is the youngest head coach to win an NBA championship. The player-coach won the 1948 title with the Baltimore Bullets while the league was still considered the Basketball Association of America (BAA).
John Kundla is the first and youngest coach to win a championship once the BAA became the NBA in 1950. He was 33 at the time but had won his first title at 32 in 1949.
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Mazzulla would rank as the sixth youngest head coach in NBA history to win their first championship, including player-coaches.
| Pos. | Head coach | Team | Age | Title year |
| 1 | Harry “Buddy” Jeannette | Baltimore Bullets | 30 | 1948 |
| 2 | John Kundla | Minneapolis Lakers | 32 | 1949 |
| 3 | George Senesky | Philadelphia Warriors | 34 | 1956 |
| 4 | Bill Russell | Boston Celtics | 34 | 1968 |
| 5 | Alex Hannum | St. Louis Hawks | 34 | 1958 |
| 6* | Joe Mazzulla | Boston Celtics | 35 | 2024 |
| 7 | Pat Riley | Los Angeles Lakers | 37 | 1982 |
| 8 | Al Cervi | Syracuse Nationals | 38 | 1955 |
| 9 | Al Attles | Golden State Warriors | 38 | 1975 |
| 10 | Tyronn Lue | Cleveland Cavaliers | 39 | 2016 |
* Celtics currently lead Mavericks 3-0 in 2024 NBA Finals
How old is Joe Mazzulla?
Mazzulla is 35 years old and will turn 36 on June 30.
The NBA Finals is scheduled to finish before Mazzulla’s 36th birthday, so he will be 35 if the Celtics win the 2024 title.
Mazzulla is older than Celtics center Al Horford, who turned 38 years old in early June. Horford is one of five current NBA players over the age of 37, a list that includes Lakers superstar LeBron James.