The Celtics have suspended coach Ime Udoka for the entirety of the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies, the franchise announced Thursday. The team added in a statement that “a decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date.”
The second-year coach’s punishment is a result of an intimate relationship with a female member of the organization, as The Athletic first reported Thursday morning.
Advertisement
Some members of the Celtics organization first became aware of the relationship in July, sources said. At that time, team leadership was led to believe by both parties that the relationship was consensual. But sources said that the woman recently accused Udoka of making unwanted comments toward her — leading the team to launch a set of internal interviews.
The team’s decision and announcement came after a closed-door meeting Thursday that involved team owners and president Brad Stevens and lasted several hours, sources said. Earlier Thursday, Stevens and members of the Celtics front office met with players at the team facility.
“I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down,” Udoka said in a statement Thursday night. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”
Udoka, 45, was heading into his second season at the helm in Boston after taking over in June 2021 for Stevens, who became president of basketball operations. The Celtics went 51-31 in the regular season last year and made it to the NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Golden State Warriors. Udoka was previously an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.
Prior to coaching, he had a professional playing career that included time in the NBA and overseas.
Joe Mazzulla has been named interim head coach during Udoka’s suspension. Udoka’s top assistant last season, Will Hardy, left the organization in July to become head coach of the Utah Jazz. Ben Sullivan and Damon Stoudamire were the other front bench assistants last year, but the Celtics have decided to go with Mazzulla over them.
Advertisement
Mazzulla, 34, has been a rising name in coaching ranks for some time, the only full assistant on Stevens’ staff who stayed on for Udoka’s regime (player development coach Tony Dobbins was also promoted to assistant.) Mazzulla was a surprise finalist for the Jazz job, a rare feat for someone who isn’t even a front bench assistant. He is well-respected for his game-planning on both sides of the ball and has the kind of understated but steady demeanor that has defined Stevens’ and Udoka’s tenures.
The Celtics open training camp on Sept. 27, with the majority of their NBA Finals team back for another run at the title. They open the season Oct. 18 with a home game against the 76ers.
(Photo: Kyle Terada / USA Today)
