Both basketball and soccer rely on strategic motions. Off-ball movement is essential to setting up easy scoring opportunities in both games. During an episode of the Men in Blazers podcast, Joe Mazzulla and Roger Bennett discussed how the fundamentals of soccer and basketball help sharpen one another.
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The Celtics head coach acknowledged the rise of zone defenses in the modern NBA, which forces players to make unique cuts in order to get open, and how the timing always seems a bit off compared to how players cut against man defense. Mazzulla then drew comparisons between the off-ball movements that take place against a zone defense in basketball and in soccer.
Mazzulla used this topic to heap praise on Manchester City club manager, Pep Guardiola. “I think that’s one of the best things Pep teaches is the timing of their runs,” the 36-year-old said. He believes Pep’s preaching about timed runs can be applied to playing against zone defenses in basketball as well.
Mazzulla shared that he missed watching former Man City right winger, Riyad Mahrez, whose “timed runs on the outside were second to none.” While no longer with the club, Mahrez is among the best players to utilize runs and work with exemplary timing.
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An avid fan of soccer, this isn’t the first time Mazzulla has compared the sport to basketball or his first instance praising Guardiola.
Soccer has helped shape Mazzulla’s basketball coaching strategies
Joe Mazzulla was able to meet Pep Guardiola and several other soccer stars during a trip to Manchester City last year. The Celtics coach handed out custom Boston jerseys to several athletes and even posed for a jersey swap with Pep. Mazzulla made sure to sign Guardiola’s custom Celtics jersey before the two embraced.
Mazzulla has admired Pep for a long time. In a past interview, he admitted Guardiola is the inspiration behind his coaching and playing style. He also shared that Guardiola has added more insight to his knowledge of the sport. “I study a lot of Man City. I study Pep a lot,” Mazzulla said. “I think he’s the best coach at any level, in any sport. It’s had a huge influence [on me].”
Mazzulla clearly understands the advantages of incorporating the fundamentals of other sports into basketball. As one of the youngest head coaches in the professional arena, Mazzulla is always looking to absorb knowledge from those who came before him, regardless of the sport.
