2023-24 Maine Celtics Coaching Staff

Blaine Mueller - Head Coach

Blaine Mueller becomes the ninth head coach in franchise history. A longtime member of the Milwaukee Bucks’ coaching staff, Maine will be Mueller’s first head coaching position.

“I want to express my immense gratitude to Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, and Jarell Christian for the opportunity to join the storied Celtics organization and continue the great basketball tradition in Maine as Head Coach,” said Mueller. “I am eager to get to work with our staff to develop our players on and off the court, engage with the best fans in the G League, and experience all that Portland has to offer.”

Mueller is a 2014 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After two seasons as an assistant coach at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Mo., Mueller joined the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018 as a Video & Player Development Assistant. He served as Head Video Coordinator for three seasons, helping the Bucks win an NBA Championship in 2021. Last season, Mueller was promoted to Assistant Coach in Milwaukee. The Bucks finished the 2022-23 season with a conference-best 58-24 record.

“Blaine is a great addition to our staff and is ready to lead the Maine Celtics,” said Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics Head Coach. “He brings great enthusiasm and knowledge off the court, and on the court is deliberate, energetic, and will build strong relationships with the players.”

“We are thrilled to have Blaine lead our team this season,” said Maine Celtics General Manager Jarell Christian. “He understands the responsibility that comes with this privilege. He brings a ton of knowledge and championship DNA to the players and staff in Maine. He’s exceptional at building relationships with players and members of the community. Blaine’s leadership style will help him effectively communicate our organization’s values and hold everyone accountable.”

Mueller replaces Alex Barlow, who led Maine to 30 wins and a playoff appearance in his lone season at the helm. Barlow left the organization to accept an assistant coaching position at his alma mater, Butler University.

John Little - Associate Head Coach

Like Mueller, Associate Head Coach John Little joins Maine from the Milwaukee Bucks organization, where he served as an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Herd for the past three seasons. Prior to his work as a G League coach, Little served as the Video Coordinator for his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa. After a four-year career at UNI, Little played nine seasons of professional basketball in Europe.

Steve Tchiengang - Assistant Coach

Cameroon native Steve Tchiengang makes the move from Boston to Maine, joining the Celtics as an Assistant Coach. For the past three seasons, Tchiengang has been working in Boston, most recently as a Player Development Coach. He was a four-year standout at Vanderbilt University, helping the Commodores to three NCAA Tournament appearances from 2009-12. In 2022, Steve became the Founder and President of the nonprofit Visionc Corp.

Austin Vereen - Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach Austin Vereen returns to Maine for a third season on the bench. After a prolific collegiate career at both VMI and Pacific, Vereen received a master’s degree in sports management, joining the Maine Celtics as a Player Development Coach in 2021.

Taaj Ridley - Player Development Coach/Video Coordinator

Joining the Maine Celtics as Video Coordinator and Player Development Coach, Taaj Ridley brings 8 years of professional experience as a player, including one season in the NBA G League with Long Island. Ridley has coached the last two seasons as a graduate assistant at Penn State University, helping the Nittany Lions to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 12 years in 2023.