“He works for the other team”. That’s it. That’s all Joe Mazzulla said when asked what it meant to see his brother rise through the ranks of the Utah Jazz coaching staff. It is not rare for relatives to be a part of the same occupation, as the NBA often proves. Stephen Curry competes with his brother Seth, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets also have LaMelo Ball, the younger brother of Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball. Similarly to them, Joe Mazzulla is another person who often gets to compete against his brother, but on the coaching front.

If you have never heard of Justin Mazzulla, then there is no better time than the present. Therefore, without any further ado, let us know more about the Celtics HC’s relative.

Who is Joe Mazzulla’s brother Justin? What’s his role with the Utah Jazz?

Not much is known about Justin Tatum’s early life, except for the fact that he is Joe’s younger brother. However, according to NBA Draft.net, Justin was born on December 27, 1998. This makes him 10 years younger than the Celtics head coach.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Justin worked his way up before he received a gig to work for the NBA. From 2020 to 2022, he worked as a head coach at the ‘Rise To The Top’ Basketball Facility located in Vermont. During his tenure there, he reportedly organized Junior NBA youth basketball leagues and refereed basketball games, assisted on individual training sessions with athletes, and served as head coach for fifth grade Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. Later, Justin became a Performance Coach for Duncan Hoops.

After a brief tenure as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Rhode Island, Justin became an Assistant Coach and Video Coordinator for the Salt Lake City Stars, the Utah Jazz’s G-League affiliate. In June 2024, the Utah Jazz announced a Basketball Operations Staff Update. The same transferred Justin to the Jazz video room as an Assistant Video Coordinator. He continues serving in that role even today.

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Which college did Justin Mazzulla attend?

Justin’s basketball career began as a player who hooped for Bishop Hendricken High School. He guided the Hawks to back-to-back state championships during his tenure there. Under him, the school’s winning streak extended to 18 games. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Rhode Island, thanks to his efforts in leading his summer team, the Boston Amateur Basketball Club, to the 16-and-under AAU national title in 2015.

According to Justin Mazzulla’s official bio provided by the Vermont Catamounts men’s basketball team, he played with the team for two seasons. Before that, however, Justin played for 3 seasons for the George Washington Revolutionaries (then known as the George Washington Colonials). During his time at George Washington University, Justin appeared in 70 games.

He earned 45 starts for the Colonials in two-plus years. During his sophomore season, he averaged 8.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1 steal. He started in all 33 games that season. According to reports, the player also scored double figures 17 times. This included a career-high 19 points against crosstown American on December 29, 2018. Justin paced the team in assists (3.5) and steals (1.0) per game. He was also lauded on the Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team as a sophomore.

Justin played for the Vermont Catamounts from 2020 onward. During his senior season (2020-21), he was one of three players to start in all 15 games. Justin averaged 8.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals that season. He ranked second on the team with a total of 13 steals. Justin scored his career-high 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

In his final season, he started in 26 of 33 games for the Catamounts. He averaged 7.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.8 steals. This allowed him to rank fourth on the team in scoring average. He scored in double figures in 12 games. He grabbed 5 or more boards in 9 games and registered a season-high 21 points on a career-high six three-pointers at New Hampshire on February 16. He posted 13 points and a career-high nine rebounds in his NCAA Tournament debut against No. 4 Arkansas on March 17 during that season.

Justin may be the lesser-known Mazzulla. However, that does not make him any less talented than his brother. With any luck, the younger Mazzulla keeps rising through the ranks. Who knows? Maybe one day, he will become a head coach, too. That way, he and Joe Mazzulla will be true on-court rivals/brothers, like Steph and Seth.