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

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla had a heartfelt conversation with Kristaps Porziņģis on the team’s flight to Milwaukee. Their chat left Mazzulla with plenty to reflect on, and he shared those thoughts before Sunday night’s game against the Bucks.

“I talked to him on the plane. I reached out to him,” Mazzulla told reporters pregame, per CLNS Media. “I had a good conversation with him. Also, some of my other guys on the staff did as well. I think it’s just a good reminder of what we go through in an NBA season. When you look at these guys as athletes and as basketball players, they’re a lot more than that.”

HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 03: Kristaps Porzingis #8 of the Boston Celtics speaks with head coach Joe Mazzulla during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on January 03, 2025 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On Friday, Porziņģis announced he would “step away” from basketball to focus on his health as he continues battling postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that has sidelined him since the start of the season. Porziņģis’ symptoms first emerged during his final season with the Celtics in February 2025, and continued lingering during his follow-up stints with the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors.

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Porziņģis signed a two-year, $40 million deal with Golden State this past summer, making the 31-year-old’s search for a “solution,” as he described it, all the more pressing.

His 57-game debut season with the Celtics, which culminated in the 2024 NBA championship, was the last time we saw Porziņģis in his ‘unicorn’ form. Acquired via trade with the Wizards in exchange for Marcus Smart, Porziņģis needed little time to win over the Boston crowd. He averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game before delivering an electric performance in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks, scoring 20 points, grabbing six…

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Publish date : 2026-11-09 11:00:00

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