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The Boston Celtics have added former chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin as a consultant, a move that was never publicly announced until now. Waitzkin, whose childhood was portrayed in the 1993 Oscar-nominated film “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” has been working closely with head coach Joe Mazzulla since the 2022-23 season.
Their relationship intensified after Boston’s Game 7 loss to Miami in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. Following the defeat, Mazzulla spent eight days at Waitzkin’s secluded Costa Rican home in what the coach described as a “cave process” designed to break him down and build him back up.
“I need Josh to make me better so I can help the team be better,” Mazzulla told the Globe. “That’s how it’s always been.”
Waitzkin’s unorthodox approach included having Mazzulla surf powerful Pacific waves and hike barefoot through mountainous jungle terrain with dangerous wildlife present. The purpose was to expose mental vulnerabilities through physical discomfort.
“The heartbreak and the brokenness are what lead to the strength,” Waitzkin explained. “How do you train for it? You learn to hunt for pain, hunt for adversity.”
Waitzkin officially joined the Celtics as a consultant after Jeff Van Gundy departed for the Clippers last summer. He now spends approximately one week per month with the team and plans to remain throughout the playoff run.
The former chess prodigy helps coaches identify psychological tells in opponents and provides unique perspectives drawn from his background in chess and tai chi. Derrick White noted that Waitzkin offered valuable advice about connecting with referees to better understand their mindsets during games.
“One thing I’ve seen Joe do is exquisitely embrace adversity, learn to love tension, learn to love the battle,” Waitzkin said, “as opposed to having a little piece of you that wants a way out.”
