Jun 13, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka reacts from the sideline during the first half in game five of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: Finals-Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors
Shams Charania is reporting that Celtics coach Ime Udoka’s suspension is due to an “improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff,” a violation of the team’s code of conduct. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that Ime Udoka is likely to be suspended for the entire 2022-23 season, but an official announcement could come as soon as Thursday.
Losing Udoka for the season would be a massive loss for Boston after he helped guide them to the NBA Finals in his first season as head coach. Assistant Coach Joe Mazzula is the favorite for interim head coach if Udoka is suspended for the season. Udoka’s job isn’t “believed to be in jeopardy.”
The 34-year-old, who played at West Virginia from 2006-2011 and was a member of the 2009-10 Mountaineers team that reached the Final Four, joined Boston’s coaching staff in 2019. He previously served as an assistant and head coach at Fairmont State, and he was also an assistant coach for the Maine Celtics of the G League.
More details on this story to come.
