What do Joe Mazzulla, Will Hardy, Tom Thibodeau, Tyronn Lue and Frank Vogel have in common? “Head coach” this season, they were all assistants with the Celtics earlier in their careers. We will soon have to add a name to this list: Charles Lee.
Joe Mazzulla's right-hand man was named coach of the Hornets a few days ago. A tenure “ long awaited » as the head coach of the Celtics explained, ahead of Game 2 of his team against the Cavs.
Faithful assistant to Mike Budenholzer, whom he joined in Atlanta (2014-18), then followed to Milwaukee (2018-23), where he won the title (2021), Charles Lee (39 years old) passed lots of interviews in recent years. Everyone was convinced that he would one day become a “head coach” in the league.
“ He worked for a long time for a very good coach on two different teams. He was a member of a team that won the most NBA games, which included four All-Stars (editor’s note: the 2015 Hawks)who won a title and coached three very good players », Listed Joe Mazzulla.
A positive coach
According to the latter, the future “head coach” “ brings a different dynamic to the game » and thinks that “ one of the best things outside of his basketball is the way he communicates. He is a very positive man. » A positive and young coach for a young team, but who has not experienced much positive this season.
The advice from his current boss? “ Everyone hates you (in front of head coach). You have to get used to it. You are no longer the pretty shiny toy », quipped the coach, referring to a possible internal replacement of Charles Lee, and praising the work of his other assistants (Sam Cassell, Tony Dobbins, Amile Jefferson, DJ MacLeay and Matthew Reynolds).
In a statement released by the Hornets, Charles Lee called landing the Charlotte job “a dream come true. The Hornets have a talented group of young players and I am very excited about our future and what we can build here. There are few places as passionate about basketball as the Caroline (north and south)and I can't wait to come to Charlotte and get to work. »
Once he finished his work with in Boston, he got along.
