Getty Ime Udoka head coach of the Boston Celtics directs his team against the Brooklyn Nets
Ime Udoka was a key member of Steve Nash’s first coaching staff as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets when he was hired by the Boston Celtics. Udoka has been seen as a special coaching mind for years now, and last season with the Boston Celtics, he got to prove it by leading the C’s to the NBA Finals in his first season as a head coach. The Nets faced much criticism for letting him go and failing to recognize the coach they had on its bench. Ultimately the Nets have remained committed to Steve Nash, even with Kevin Durant calling for his firing this summer, and the Celtics landed one of the coaches with the best potential to be great.
Udoka impressed last season as a first-year head coach even after the Celtics got off to a rocky start. He stood out for making adjustments, whether in the season as a whole or even game-to-game and quarter-to-quarter adjustments. With his leadership and what the Celtics proved last season, Boston has catapulted itself to be one of the favorites to win the 2022-23 NBA Championship. However, that could change with a report that Udoka could face an extended suspension.
Ime Udoka Facing Possible Suspension
In a late night report, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski shared the surprising report to Twitter at 10:33 pm EST when he said, “ESPN Sources: Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka is facing possible disciplinary action – including a significant suspension – for an unspecified violation of organizational guidelines. Discussions are ongoing within the Celtics on a final determination,” Wojnarowski tweeted.
ESPN Sources: Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka is facing possible disciplinary action – including a significant suspension – for an unspecified violation of organizational guidelines. Discussions are ongoing within the Celtics on a final determination.
Wojnarowski followed up the reporting to state that while Udoka is facing a suspension that his job does not appear to be in danger.
“Ime Udoka’s job isn’t believed to be in jeopardy, but a suspension is looming and a final determination on that length could come as soon as Thursday, sources tell ESPN,” he continued.
The reasons for the suspension remain unclear, but it is believed the Celtics could be without their head coach for an extended period of time. The loss of Udoka to a suspension hurts a bit more as Boston lost their lead assistant Will Hardy, who was hired to be the new head coach of the Utah Jazz.
Shams Charania Reports Reason for Suspension
Shortly after Wojnarowski’s reporting, Shams Charania of The Athletic revealed the reasonings behind the possible suspension via Twitter.
“Celtics coach Ime Udoka had an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium It’s been deemed a violation of franchise’s code of conduct,” Charania tweeted.
Celtics coach Ime Udoka had an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. It’s been deemed a violation of franchise’s code of conduct.
Steve Nash as Coach of the Nets
The Celtics aren’t the only team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference with a question mark at head coach, the Nets and their awkward situation with Steve Nash remains a mystery. Former NBA big man Scot Pollard recently predicted that Nash wouldn’t make it to the end of the season on the Brooklyn bench.
“I don’t think Steve Nash makes it much longer,” Pollard said on a recent episode of Heavy’s The Celtics Collective. “Honestly, it’s always the coach. They’re not going to fire the $150 million dollar player, they’re gonna fire whatever Steve’s getting paid. Ten million a year, five million a year. That’s peanuts compared to what KD’s making and they’re not going to see Steve Nash coach. So, that’s how those things work.
“When a team bails on the coach? And if your star player has bailed on the coach? Then it’s easy for the rest of the team to go. ‘Well, I’m not playing as much as I wanted to either, and it’s probably the coach(‘s fault).”