After a scandal involving former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, Joe Muzzalla was promoted to fill the position. While expectations weren’t too high when the first-time NBA head coach took over, he led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals and has had continued success. Now, many fans want to know as much as they can about the man leading one of the most storied franchises in the league to what they hope will be a championship.
Here’s more about Joe’s life off the court with his wife Camai.
Joe and Camai met when they were both coaches in college
Joe was born on June 30, 1988. He comes from a basketball family as his father, Dan Muzzulla, played college basketball at Bryant University and professionally for five years in Chile. His brother, Justin, also played college basketball, first for George Washington University before transferring to the University of Vermont.
As for Joe, he attended West Virginia University and helped the Mountaineers win the 2007 National Invitation Tournament. He also played with the team in the NCAA tournament the following year and put up 13 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. In 2010, the Mountaineers reached the Final Four but lost to Duke. After college, Joe got into coaching. He was an assistant at Glenville State University and that’s when he met his future wife.
Camai Roberson, who was born on Sept. 4, 1987, attended Glenville State University where she was on the track-and-field team and played volleyball. She later enrolled at Fairmont State University and received her Master’s degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections. After graduating, she returned to Glenville State and became the coach of the women’s volleyball team.
“I did not like him when I first met him,” Camai recalled about meeting Joe during an appearance on the More Than a Season podcast. “But it worked out great because we started off as just friends and he ended up actually after that taking a job at a rival school.”
Eventually, Joe won her over and they started dating. The couple ended up tying the knot in 2014.
How many children they have together
Joe and Camai have one son Emmanuel. The basketball coach is also a stepdad to Camai’s oldest son, Michael, from a previous relationship. Just like Camai and Emmanuel, Michael is one of the most important people in Joe’s life.
When he left West Virginia, he wrote a letter to fans that read: “My wife Camai, my stepson Michael, and my youngest son Emmanuel are the most important people in my life. Thank you Camai for your love, support, and sacrifice. You are the true face of our family by how you keep us all together and give everything you have every day. We have stuck together through so many successes as well as adversity.
“Nothing sums up West Virginia, Fairmont in particular, better than this. In 2016 I left for seven months to coach in the NBA Developmental League in Portland, Maine. I left my wife and two children behind while I did what we thought was best for our family. The people of Fairmont treated my family with so much respect, love, and care, and everywhere my wife turned she had nothing but support and love. It was amazing!”
