In the wee hours of Thursday morning the NBA community was hit with “Woj” and “Shams” bombs respectively about Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. Turns out the Celtics head coach had a consensual sexual relationship with a team staff member, which is a violation of team guidelines.
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. pic.twitter.com/1QZb0k326F
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 22, 2022
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.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2022
Udoka will likely be suspended by the team for the entire season. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes that race was a factor in the information about Udoka and the staffer being leaked to the media. Is Smith right?
“There’s plenty of white folks out there doing their thing”, Smith said. “I don’t see the information out about them.”
Stephen A Smith on Ime Udoka situation "there's plenty of white folks out there doing their thing, I don't see the information out about them" pic.twitter.com/xtGDudfPPh
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) September 22, 2022
Raise your hand if you had a consensual sexual relationship between adults as the No. 1 story as NBA training camps set to open.
This is what all this hubbub is about. That and the fact that everyone assumes they know what the situation is with Udoka and his relationship with actress Nia Long and people are overly obsessed with the sex lives of others. That’s what the bulk of the reaction is about.
Don’t know what Udoka’s situation is and frankly don’t care. Unless he used his position as head coach to coerce or prey upon the female staffer, you shouldn’t care either. If that were the case, given the current climate, the Celtics would’ve fired Udoka.
But by all accounts it was a consensual relationship. So because Udoka is the head coach and is with Long (we don’t know the details of their relationship) something had to be done?
The current NBA environment given what was uncovered by the investigation into the Phoenix Suns and the allegations of a toxic workplace culture with the Dallas Mavericks a few years ago are illustrative in the Celtics response here. They couldn’t risk being excoriated on social media or seen as one of those organizations like the Mavericks and Suns. By coming down swiftly and heavy-handed it gives the appearance that they are a no-nonsense organization.
Details may still emerge, but that is where we stand at the moment.
If Udoka is suspended for the year it is believed that assistant coach Joe Mazzulla would be the interim coach for the season. There is also talk that ex-Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel, who is close to Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, could join the staff as well.
Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla is likely to become Boston's interim coach for the season, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/GKEiMemnFN
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 22, 2022
The Celtics are the preseason favorites, according to Vegas at +500, to win the NBA title this year. Udoka in his first year as head coach guided the team to the NBA Finals where they loss to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
With the addition of guard Malcolm Brogdon to a Finals team with All-NBA superstar Jayson Tatum and All-Star Jaylen Brown it’s easy to see the Celtics playing into late June.
The Udoka news and the injury to their young All-Defensive big man Robert Williams III will certainly put their title hopes in jeopardy.
The Celtics were the No. 1 team in aNET rating and the No. 1 team in aDRTG under Udoka. Those will not be easy shoes to fill. He really found the pulse of this team and connected with them last season.
