Pressey shares perspective of Boston Celtics training camp

BOSTON, Mass. - The start of the NBA Regular Season inches closer and closer as the Celtics prepare to tip-off the 2025-2026 campaign on October 22nd against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Just a couple weeks later, the Maine Celtics will begin the NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament on November 7th when they travel to take on Greensboro. Maine's training camp will begin on October 27th, and until then, Maine Celtics Head Coach Phil Pressey will focus on his role as an Assistant Coach in Boston.

Pressey has worked as a Player Development coach for Boston since 2023 and is about to embark on his first season as Head Coach in Maine. Boston concluded preseason play with a 3-1 record after the Celtics earned a 110-108 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Pressey said Boston Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla has turned up the intensity to another level during this year's camp.

"Joe’s mentality is to get these guys in a war zone mindset to where you are trying to dominate your opponent, not just from a physical standpoint, but from a mental standpoint," Pressey explained. "Joe has taken that to another level during this training camp. Your mindset is everything. You have to be resilient in any type of adversity and have humility during any type of success, and it’s my job to teach them these habits.” 

That's just one of many lessons Pressey hopes to instill in the Maine Celtics when the G League season come around. But he says for now, preseason and training camp is a time for the young players in the organization to be focus on being a Boston Celtic.

“It’s been good to build that relationship with the players, Pressey said. "Thinking about the process they are going through of trying to make an NBA team, but then also not making an NBA team and how that impacts their mindset. Just giving them time to be a Boston Celtic and not giving them too much information from Maine. It’s been a lot of fun."

From Summer League to now training camp, Pressey has been around the team's three, Two-Way players in Amari Williams, Max Shulga, and Ron Harper Jr. Other guys who competed with Boston during the preseason may soon be reunited with Pressey in Maine. Pressey said the efforts of the young players battling for roster spots and playing time has helped shape Boston's identity to start the NBA season.

"Guys have been great. They show up every day, work their tails off every day, and push our Boston Celtics starters," he explained. "The reason I think we have an identity to start the season is because of our young guys, who will be in Maine. They push those guys, and they’ve gotten better by doing that.” 

Pressey is eager to continue to bring that Boston Celtics culture to Maine when the Maine Celtics begin training camp on October 27th. Starting on November 7th, Maine will play its first three games on the road before returning the Portland Expo for the Celtics' home opener on November 14th against the Long Island Nets. Tickets are available here.