In professional sports, mental toughness can be the edge that separates the good teams from the great. The Boston Celtics, under the guidance of head coach Joe Mazzulla, have adopted an unconventional method to foster this crucial trait: watching UFC fighters in the throes of defeat, fighting back with calm and composure.
Jayson Tatum, the Celtics’ star forward, recently shared insights into this unique approach. According to Tatum, Mazzulla is a big UFC fan and uses clips from the sport to teach his players about staying calm under pressure. The videos show fighters getting choked, on the brink of tapping out, yet managing to escape and turn the tables on their opponents. This, Tatum explains, is analogous to the tense moments in a basketball game when the team must maintain composure to secure a win.
Jayson Tatum says Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla shows the team videos of UFC fighters getting choked out to show how they stay calm in those moments and fight back
“The closer you are to winning, the closer that they are to surviving.”
@wfaa #UFC #NBAFinals #NBA pic.twitter.com/QVUgMDzWIK
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 13, 2024
The strategy seems to be paying dividends. In the Game 3 nail-biter against the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics managed to hold onto a lead despite a fierce comeback attempt by their opponents. Tatum credits their ability to stay calm during these tense situations to the lessons learned from the UFC videos. He describes how fighters, thinking they are about to win, might relax their grip, giving their opponent a chance to recover and fight back. This is a valuable lesson for the Celtics, reminding them that no lead is safe until the final buzzer sounds.
The Celtics’ use of UFC videos is more than just a novel way to pass the time during film sessions. It’s a psychological tool, one that equips the players with the mindset needed to navigate the pressures of professional sports. As they inch closer to another championship, the lessons from the octagon could very well be what helps them maintain their lead and finish strong.
This blend of sports psychology and cross-disciplinary learning is a testament to Mazzulla’s innovative coaching style. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the key to victory in one arena can be found in the lessons of another. For the Celtics, the fighting spirit of UFC warriors might just be the secret sauce that leads them to another banner year.
