Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has a reputation to looking to other sports to find things he can bring back to the NBA for a competitive advantage. And while he may not be alone in that regard in the wider league ecosphere, he might be the first to try to use principles from F1 racing with his players.
On a recent episode of the team-produced “View from the Rafters” podcast, the Celtics coach shared how the motorsport caught his attention from a team development point of view. “I think you take a look at F1 and that to me is the equivalent of Jayson (Tatum) and Jaylen (Brown),” said Mazzulla.
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“It’s the equivalent of an NBA player,” he added. “You know, being in that car for three hours by yourself is probably how they feel being on the court for 35, 40 minutes every single night.”
Jan 19, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla instructs guard Payton Pritchard (11), guard Anfernee Simons (4) and guard/forward Jaylen Brown (7) in the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
“And there’s obviously things that you have to do to,” continued the Boston coach, “to develop a team and to grow as a team, but you also have to develop individuals who are going after greatness.
“And so you’re always bouncing back and forth between, okay, let’s study this team dynamic, but we’ve got to study individual dynamics, too, because you’re coaching high-performing individuals.”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla on how NBA players are like F1 drivers