Celtics’ Derrick White Has Hilarious Quote After Joe Mazzulla Goes Viral

The Boston Celtics have the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Before that, there was some unfinished business from Monday.

WWE’s Monday Night Raw took over TD Garden, and Joe Mazzulla and Derrick White were ringside with their families when the cameras found them. What followed went viral almost immediately.

Tuesday’s practice gave them a chance to address it.

What Mazzulla and White Said About the Moment

When White was introduced to the crowd, he gave a wave and acknowledged the arena. Standard stuff. Then the camera shifted to Mazzulla, and Mazzulla launched into a full play fight, landing a flurry of wrestling-style punches on his unsuspecting guard.

White had a response ready at practice on Tuesday.

“It’s all part of the storyline,” White told reporters, per CLNS Media. “WrestleMania’s coming up soon, so that’s when our big fight will be.”

Mazzulla, for his part, was not apologetic about any of it. He framed the night as an opportunity to step outside the basketball world for a few hours, something he genuinely values.

“I just like learning,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Anytime you can step into someone else’s arena and learn from them, I think you can always take something.”

It was a family night as much as anything else. Both the Mazzulla and White families were there, and with the Celtics off until Wednesday, the timing was perfect.

“I grew up as a kid watching it,” Mazzulla said. “I was able to have a family night, take the kids there, hang out with D. White. It was a good time.”

Why the Moment Fits Mazzulla Perfectly

Nobody who has followed Mazzulla closely was surprised. He is a regular at MMA events and trains at the Celtics’ practice facility in his spare time. Combat sports have been part of his world long before he was a head coach in the NBA.

White has watched that side of Mazzulla up close for years. He appreciates it. From a safe distance.

“I try to stay away,” White said. “He was doing all that MMA stuff.”

What the Night Says About Their Relationship

Mazzulla and White have been together since the San Antonio Spurs trade that brought White to Boston over four years ago. In that time, White has grown from a backup into one of the more complete two-way guards in the league. Mazzulla has gone from assistant to head coach and helped the Celtics raise a banner in the process.

The relationship has kept pace with all of it. Monday night was not a team-building exercise. It was two people who genuinely like each other spending a night off together with their kids.

Mazzulla was clear about how he sees it. “I don’t consider myself a boss, and I don’t consider Derrick an employee with all due respect,” he said. “It’s not how we operate. I think it’s more about relationships and the people that you have.”

White put it simply. “I think just spending time off the court, his family was there, my family was there. Bonding. That goes deeper than basketball.”

Final Word for the Celtics

The Thunder are coming on Wednesday. The Celtics have business to take care of after Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves.

For one night in Boston, though, Mazzulla got his WrestleMania moment. White says the rematch is coming.

Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins