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By Jayesh Pagar
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Kristaps Porziņģis' decision to step away from basketball has drawn reactions across the NBA.
However, his former head coach, Joe Mazzulla, offered a particularly thoughtful response when asked about the situation and his recent communication with the veteran center.
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Porziņģis announced on Friday that he was stepping away from the game to prioritize his health.
The Golden State Warriors center has been dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and has not played this season.
Mazzulla, who coached Porziņģis during his time with the Boston Celtics, revealed that he had already spoken with the big man following the announcement.
“I talked to him on the plane, reached out to him. Had a good conversation with him. Some of the other guys on the staff did as well,” Mazzulla said, via CLNS Media, responding to a question from Boston Globe reporter Adam Himmelsbach.
The Celtics coach also highlighted something beyond Porziņģis' contributions on the basketball court.
“I think it's just a good reminder as we go through the NBA season and look at these guys as athletes and basketball players…I think he had a positive impact on the locker room,” Mazzulla added.
Porziņģis played an important role in Boston's 2024 championship run. His ability to stretch the floor, protect the rim and create mismatches made him a valuable part of the Celtics' rotation.
He averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks during the 2023-24 regular season. However, health issues limited his availability throughout his Boston tenure.
In his announcement, Porziņģis explained that his body had not responded as expected while preparing for the season. He also expressed his intention to work with Golden State to find a suitable solution.
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