Joe Mazzulla spoke with Kristaps Porziņģis after his decision to step away from basketball

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reached out to former player Kristaps Porziņģis following the center's decision to step away from basketball. Speaking ahead of Sunday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Mazzulla described a heartfelt conversation on the team flight, emphasizing that athletes are far more than just basketball players. Porziņģis announced his hiatus on Friday to manage postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which has kept him sidelined.

Porziņģis, who signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, previously won the 2024 NBA championship with Boston. Mazzulla commended his positive impact on the Celtics locker room and confirmed that Porziņģis is currently in a good mental space as he prioritizes his health.