Former Missouri Tigers men’s basketball standout Phil Pressey continues his ascent in the coaching world.
On Wednesday, he was named head coach of the Maine Celtics, the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate.
Pressey, 34, spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach for Boston — the same team that took a chance on him out of college.
In just three seasons at Mizzou, Pressey exceeded expectations and put together one of the most memorable playing careers in recent program history. He still holds the school’s all-time record for steals (580) and posted the top two single-season totals in program history with 240 in 2012-13 and 223 in 2011-12.
After forgoing his final year of eligibility, Pressey declared for the 2013 NBA Draft but went undrafted. He signed a free agent deal with the Celtics and impressed during the Orlando Summer League, earning a three-year NBA contract.
Following a journeyman career that included stints in the NBA and overseas, Pressey returned to Columbia in 2022 as a graduate assistant for the Tigers. After just one season at MU, he accepted a position as an assistant with the Celtics.
“I thought Phil was ready for this from the first time I coached him, when he was 21 years old and a rookie point guard for the Boston Celtics,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a news release. “He’s always really cared about the game.
“He cares about people. He’s got a great work ethic, and, yeah, he’s got a lot to learn. He’ll learn it on the fly. But how else would you better learn it than being thrown to the wolves and calling the shots? It’s a great opportunity.”
Pressey now looks to follow in the footsteps of his father Paul, who spent nearly three decades coaching in both the NBA and college ranks following a successful professional playing career.
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