Ahead of season No. 8 for the Canadian Elite Basketball League, a notable name has entered the fold.
The Ottawa BlackJacks hired Justin Mazzulla as their new head coach ahead of the 2026 season, the team announced on Thursday.
Justin, the younger brother of Boston Celtics title-winning head coach Joe Mazzulla, will be the fifth head coach in BlackJacks franchise history and also the youngest head coach in CEBL history at 27 years and 26 days old.
That title was previously held by two-time champion coach Victor Raso (28) with the Niagara River Lions.
Mazzulla will replace David DeAveiro, whose BlackJacks contract was not renewed after his lone season at the helm in 2025.
"Justin Mazzulla represents the exact standard of excellence we want for the Ottawa BlackJacks,” general manager James Derouin said in a statement. "He has been a key part of the NBA's most innovative coaching rooms, and he brings a championship-calibre blueprint to our organization. We aren't just looking to compete; we are looking to lead the league in innovation and intensity. Justin is the architect to get us there."
Mazzulla currently serves as an assistant video coordinator for the NBA's Utah Jazz after beginning his professional coaching career as an assistant coach with the franchise's G League affiliate club, the Salt Lake City Stars.
"I chose Ottawa because the ownership, front office and leaders believed in me and were willing to give me a chance,” Mazzulla through a team statement. "Fearless, fast and fun were the pillars they put forth and it sounded like a great opportunity to join and build around the Ottawa culture and community."
Mazzulla also spent five years playing Division I basketball, split between George Washington (2017-19) and Vermont (2020-22).
The BlackJacks are entering their seventh season with the CEBL and have yet to capture the franchise's first title. They finished 2025 with a 12-12 record, good for second in the Eastern Conference, but fell to the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the quarterfinals.
Ottawa opens its 2026 season on May 12 with a matchup against the defending Western Conference champion Calgary Surge.
