Former Mizzou hoops star named Boston’s G-League head coach
PORTLAND, Maine (KMIZ)
Former Mizzou men's basketball star and graduate assistant Phil Pressey is continuing to work his way up the rungs of the coaching ladder.
On Wednesday, the Maine Celtics, the G-League affiliate team of the Boston Celtics, announced that Pressey will serve as the franchise's next head coach for the upcoming 2025-26 season. He will be the first former player to serve as head coach, after the former NBA guard played for Maine while on assignment from Boston in the 2014-15 campaign.
“I’d like to thank Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, and the entire Celtics organization for believing in me and giving me a chance to grow, lead, and develop,” said Pressey said in a press release. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and I will give my all to this team. The community of Portland is amazing, and I remember my time as a player was unforgettable at the Expo. My goal is to instill winning habits into every player who suits up for the Maine Celtics.”
Pressey started his coaching career at Mizzou, joining head coach Dennis Gates' staff for his first season in Columbia. After spending one year on the sidelines of his alma mater, he moved on to join the Boston Celtics in 2023, where he worked as a player development coach.
Prior to his coaching days, the Texas native was a three-year standout player for the Tigers. He ended his MU career as the program's all-time leader in assists and tied Anthony Peeler for the career lead in steals. Pressey was also the first player to ever First-Team All-SEC accolades at Mizzou.
He continued his career at the NBA level, as he played 148 career games in the league over the course of three seasons. He spent two years with the Boston Celtics, averaging 3.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Pressey also played 78 career games in the G-League from 2014-17, including one game for the very team he's taking the reins of now: the then-Maine Red Claws.
“Phil is a dedicated coach who has been instrumental in our player development over the last two seasons,” Boston Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla said in a press release. “I am looking forward to seeing him grow as a coach and leader. He shows great energy and a willingness to learn. His personality and communication will be a gift to his players.”
Coaching runs in Pressey's family, too. His dad, Paul Pressey, played in the NBA and also went on to be an assistant coach in the league for seven teams from 1992-2016.
Pressey will look to build on Maine's back-to-back Eastern Conference Final appearances, as the franchise finished with a 29-21 overall record this past season.
