Celtics Legend Robert Parish Figures Out Why Joe Mazzulla 'don’t take no [expletive]'

Parish learned something new about Mazzulla on Wednesday night, and loved everything about it

Mar 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Robert Parish was in the house for the Celtics win over the Warriors, taking in a game between two of his former teams. 

“Parish is a legend, so it's good to see him out there,” Jaylen Brown said. “He looked good. Looks in great shape. So it's great to have him around.”

In his new book, “The Chief,” Parish says he still gets up at 5 a.m. every day to work out, a regimen that has him looking like he could put up double-digits against the Washington Wizards. 

Parish has always had the discipline to keep his body in peak physical condition, which is a big reason why he was able to play 21 years, playing a record 1611 games (a record LeBron James will tie Thursday night when his Lakers play in Miami). Part of that conditioning was a dedication to martial arts, specifically Judo. 

If there's one thing that martial arts practitioners love, it’s meeting other practitioners of the martial arts. Which is why Parish lit up at TD Garden when he was told Joe Mazzulla was also a trained fighter. 

““I was not aware of that, that Mr. Mazzulla was studying the arts,” he said, taken aback by the revelation. “That explains why he, excuse my language, don’t take no s--t.” 

Mazzulla has been practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for years. It’s a tough discipline that requires a lot of grappling and submission holds. Mazzulla has said in the past that it helps him relate to his players

"It gives me a way to connect with the guys — it gives me a way of being empathetic, like I know what they're going through... if I can get the (expletive) kicked out of me from time to time, it's only going to help me get better."

Parish knows that martial arts can be humbling, but it’s also a tremendous confidence-builder. 

“One thing the arts teaches you is that you can walk away,” Parish said. “It teaches you to try to walk away first because you have the confidence to handle yourself and the skills that you can take care of yourself. And so that would explain that tough persona that he gives off.”

To Parish’s point, one of Mazzulla’s strengths is parsing through information to pick out what’s truly important to him, his team, and life in general. Martial arts teaches mental discipline as well as physical, fighting skills. It teaches practitioners about wasted motion and energy, and why not fighting is preferable to fighting. 

“When you know that most people, you can kick their butts, you’ve got a certain arrogance about you and confidence,” Parish said. “I know I can take care of myself. And that's one of the reasons why people have a tendency … ‘he's arrogant. He's dismissive. He's distant.’ Martial arts. The only time I take s--t is when I choose to. And the martial arts allow you to do that because you know you can take care of yourself. It gives you that confidence, that air about yourself. You give off that vibe.”

Mazzulla gives off a vibe, alright, though sometimes it’s a vibe of a guy who wishes someone would throw a punch at him. But the mental discipline has served him well, and is part of the puzzle that makes him one of the best head coaches in the league.