Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has earned a reputation as one of the most candid and outspoken leaders in the NBA. This was put on full display when he was interviewed before the Celtics-Raptors game today, after he was asked about a report claiming a “language barrier” in the Celtics locker room. Mazzulla wasted no time firing back at the media.

Following reports of Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez reportedly having issues communicating, Mazzulla said, “Who reported that he was having language barrier issues?” he asked, eyebrows raised. He called out the reporters present in the room and made it clear, “Yeah, he’s not. He speaks multiple languages,” putting an end to any narrative that there was a communication issue. Then, he cut deeper: “People should speak to him in his native language. So if anybody here in the media can speak Spanish, you should talk to him in Spanish.”

For Mazzulla, this isn’t just about a misreported detail, but respect. Coach made it clear he was “pretty pissed” about how the narrative was framed and argued that the coverage of international players reduced them to stereotypes, adding, “I didn’t like that heading.”

“He doesn’t have an issue understanding that,” Mazzulla continued. “It’s important for us to meet people where they’re at.” His tone was clear; this was non-negotiable.

His tone softened a bit as Mazzulla started talking about Gonzalez himself. “The kid just wants to win and he wants to get better. He’s been coached. He’s been well coached, part of a good system, and he does everything you ask him to do. So you just got to continue to get better.”

This is a reminder that beyond the frustration, this is about a young player trying to find his footing, and his coach making sure the noise doesn’t affect him.

This support from Mazzulla isn’t anything new. Previously, during training camp, the coach spoke on his high expectations from the 28th overall pick.

“They play a very physical game, and there’s a professionalism that they have there. So I think there’s a lot of stuff on and off the court that his environment has prepared him for,” he said, referring to Gonzalez’s stint at Real Madrid, where he helped them win a second straight La Liga championship.

Hugo Gonzalez Sets the Record Straight on Language Concerns

For Gonzalez, the 19-year-old Spaniard drafted in June, the transition to NBA life has come under heavy scrutiny. Multiple reports have highlighted his early adjustment challenges, particularly with the language barrier.

Gonzalez himself admitted, “We’ve got a lot of terms to refer to different things, especially defensively, that need a lot of communication,” a candid acknowledgment that adapting to the league’s terminology and pace hasn’t been easy.

Many NBA players, particularly those from Europe, have faced language barriers upon joining the league, which often presented initial challenges in communication, team integration, and adjusting to life in the U.S. Nikola Jokic, the 3x MVP, arrived in the U.S. from Serbia in 2015.

English was not his first language, and he initially struggled with communication. Nowitzki, the Mavs legend, came to the NBA from Germany in 1998, where English was not widely spoken in his hometown of Würzburg. He had a hard time with fast-paced locker room slang and coaching instructions. Nowitzki worked with tutors and leaned on teammates like Steve Nash to improve his English.

Many teams provide language support. For example, the San Antonio Spurs helped Manu Ginobili, an Argentine, with English lessons when he joined in 2002.

However, Gonzalez directly responded to these claims, pushing back against the notion of a barrier. On X, he addressed being misquoted, “I literally said that the specific terminology of the concepts is difficult to understand for everyone because it is new, but more so for me because it is in English… but oh well.” The Madrid native made it clear: he’s perfectly fine communicating however needed.

The rookie also credited Boston for being his support system. In an interview, Gonzalez also added, “They try to speak Spanish… I would say that if there’s anything I need, they told me if they have to explain it twice, that’s no problem.” He also said, “Everyone has been helping me — the coaches, my teammates — and I’m learning every day,” highlighting that he’s fully engaged and ready to contribute, contrary to the noise from the media.