PHILADELPHIA — The Boston Celtics are one of the biggest brands in basketball and their head coach, Joe Mazzulla, is all for sharing that spotlight with another Beantown-based team.
Since the WNBA is actively expanding, several cities are attempting to join the growing basketball league. Boston reportedly wants to land a team, as actor Donnie Wahlberg and 2014 NBA Rookie of the Year Michael-Carter Williams (both Massachusetts natives) are at the forefront of an ownership group preparing to make an expansion bid, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.
When Joe Mazzulla was asked about the Celtics potentially getting a new neighbor ahead of their Thursday night showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers, he encouraged the idea.
“Boston is a sports town,” he stated. “The coolest thing is the pride that Boston sports teams have. And adding to that is great. You know, being able to go to different sporting events, being in the arena, building a connection to each other, to the city—I think that’s huge. So, whatever we gotta do.”
Joe Mazzulla on a WNBA team potentially coming to Boston:
“Boston is a sports town…Adding to that is great. You know, being able to go to different sporting events, being in the arena, building a connection to each other, to the city, I think that’s huge.” pic.twitter.com/NKso3kGsSM
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) February 20, 2025
The WNBA is already adding the Golden State Valkyrie to its mix in 2025 as well as teams in Portland and Toronto in 2026. While Boston residents and New England natives already have the Connecticut Sun to root for, there’s still been talk of adding a team in the region’s most prominent city.
Former Sun guard DiJonai Carrington even explicitly advocated for expansion in Boston when Connecticut faced the Los Angeles Sparks at TD Garden last August. It was the first WNBA matchup ever hosted in the Celtics’ building.
DiJonai Carrington addresses the TD Garden crowd after the thrilling win:
“Hopefully this isn’t the last. Hopefully this is the first of many.”
Certainly seems like a ton of momentum for a WNBA team in Boston
pic.twitter.com/bwxb1dXmnT
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) August 21, 2024
After his pregame press conference, Mazzulla witnessed his guys dismantle the rival Sixers in their first game since the All-Star break. The Celtics prevailed 124-104 in Philadelphia, improving to a league-best 23-6 on the road.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum earned his fourth career triple-double in the win with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists (one shy of a season-high). He, like Wahlberg and Carter-Williams, also has his eye on the WNBA. During All-Star Weekend, the reigning champion doubled down on his desire to bring a WNBA team to his hometown of St. Louis.
Jayson Tatum on bringing a WNBA team to St. Louis:
“Just investing in women’s sports. I’m such a big believer in that. I’m very prideful about where I’m from. I have a sister who lives in St. Louis, she’s 11 — just understanding how big of impact that would be for the city.” https://t.co/dq78ocICNa
— Noa Dalzell
(@NoaDalzell) February 16, 2025
No matter if Boston, St. Louis, or another city wins the bid, the WNBA will spread. The NBA has discussed expansion too, yet there haven’t been any official announcements on when that will exactly happen.
Despite his advocacy for other Boston sports teams, Mazzulla will continue to commit to his C’s. They’re 40-16 during the 2024-25 campaign and attempting to become the first NBA franchise to win back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors in 2018. Mazzulla believes that if anybody can approach dynasty status, it’s his Celtics.
“If there’s a group of people that I trust, it’s the guys in the locker room to continue to get better and focus on the things that are important to winning,” he said. “And they’ve been doing that the entire year, even when it hasn’t been going our way. And we gotta keep that up, regardless of the result.”
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