Eddie House: Why Sam Cassell is a 'great hire' for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Eddie House is the latest member of the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics to advocate for Sam Cassell.
The Celtics reportedly hired Cassell as an assistant on Joe Mazzulla's coaching staff not long after C's great Paul Pierce lobbied for his former teammate. House shared his positive reaction to the news on Monday's Early Edition.
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Forsberg: Sam Cassell checks every box as ideal hire for Celtics
"I think it's a great hire for this reason. He brings a sense of understanding what it takes to actually get over the hump and win the championship," House said. "And that last year he was (in Boston), he contributed to the team. But more so than that, he was very similar to what Udonis Haslem is to the Miami Heat, to where he was an ambassador of what the head coach was saying, relaying that message down to us. But at the same time, he was able to contribute.
"I think having the cache of a three-time champion, of being a guy that's played with superstars before, I think he'll have the ear of these players and these young players will listen to him because a lot of them grew up watching him and understanding what he did. So I think it's a great hire. He understands the league number one. He understands the players number two. And I think that this is the first step of many hires that I think the Boston Celtics have to go through and achieve."
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Before going out on top with the Celtics, Cassell enjoyed a successful NBA career with the Houston Rockets (1993-96), Phoenix Suns (1996), Dallas Mavericks (1996-97), New Jersey Nets (1997-99), Milwaukee Bucks (1999-2003), Minnesota Timberwolves (2003-05), and Los Angeles Clippers (2005-08). He won titles with Houston in '94 and '95 and earned an All-Star selection in '04.
Cassell has served as an assistant coach since retiring as a player in 2009. The 53-year-old's first coaching gig came with the Washington Wizards from 2009-14, then he joined ex-Celtics coach Doc Rivers' staff on the Clippers (2014-20) and Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23).
House believes Cassell will have an easier time getting through to the Celtics' players due to his extensive experience as both an NBA player and coach.
"They need somebody that has been through it so they believe in him," House said. "It doesn't matter if it's this generation, any generation. You play all your life and you get to the NBA, and somebody's telling you who really hasn't played basketball, you start to look at them in a different way, like, 'Man, you don't even know what it's like to play on this level.'
"Well, he knows what it's like to play on this level, to be a star at this level, to play in the NBA Finals, to make big shots in the NBA Finals. And number one, be an NBA champion not once, not twice, but three times. So I think that's the reason why it helps. ... What he says will resonate."
Cassell brings an element of what the Celtics missed on their coaching staff during the 2022-23 season. They lacked a coach with significant NBA experience following Damon Stoudamire's departure in March. His presence should benefit not only the players but also 34-year-old Mazzulla, who looks to build off his up-and-down first season as head coach.
With assistants Ben Sullivan, Garrett Jackson, and Mike Moser joining Ime Udoka's staff in Houston, the Celtics are still searching for coaches following Cassell's hire. One name to monitor, per reports, is Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee.
