The affair with a staff member that led to coach Ime Udoka’s year-long suspension has been known about by some members of the Celtics organization since July, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Franchise leaders originally believed the affair was consensual, but sources tell Charania that the woman recently accused Udoka of making “unwanted comments” to her. That led to several internal interviews that resulted in Thursday’s announcement that Udoka won’t coach the team this season.
Team owners and president Brad Stevens met for several hours Thursday to determine what action to take against Udoka, Charania’s sources add. Stevens and some front office officials also talked to players about Udoka’s fate at the team facility.
The 45-year-old coach issued a brief statement Thursday night apologizing to players, fans, the team and his family. He said he accepts the decision and won’t comment any further on the situation.
There’s more on the potential effects of Udoka’s suspension:
- Udoka may become a candidate for other head coaching jobs that open up, possibly as soon as this season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on a SportsCenter appearance (video link). Udoka wasn’t given any assurances that he will return to the Celtics’ sidelines once his suspension is over, and Woj indicates that the team is still figuring out its next step. Wojnarowski also said the decision to impose a one-year suspension rather than firing Udoka right away could be “legal protection” for the organization.
- Joe Mazzulla, who will take over as interim coach, will be in a difficult position all season, Jared Weiss of The Athletic says in a discussion of how Udoka’s actions will affect the team. Mazzulla is getting his first head coaching opportunity at age 34, but not as the result of going through the normal hiring process. The Celtics have confidence in Mazzulla, but the pressure to succeed will be intense. The team expects to contend for a title after its run to the NBA Finals last season, and there could be calls for a change if Mazzulla doesn’t succeed right away.
- Don’t be surprised if the Celtics consider bringing in Lakers head coach Frank Vogel as an assistant, tweets Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Vogel has a long relationship with Stevens and would bring some head coaching experience to the team’s bench.
- The Udoka situation could have negative repercussions long past this season, suggests A. Sherrod Blakely of Full Court Press. Udoka was hired partially because of the bonds he formed with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on Team USA, and Blakely wonders if his potential departure might make those stars look elsewhere when they become free agents.
So he had a “consensual relationship” with this lady but then he made “unwanted comments” to her???
Why is that strange? You could make unwanted comments to anyone, including your loved ones. Just because they had a secret relationship does not mean Udoka can say whatever he pleases and get away with it.
Kathleen Nimmo Lynch is married to C’s VP Patrick Lynch.
she got caught up and tried to flip it on him. is my opinion
Dunno Matt Barnes who initially defended ime just went live saying after speaking with someone who knows the situation it’s “100x uglier and deeper than is being released, in media RN”. And has apologised for defending him. And judging by stevens presser there may be more to this.
It seems extremely likely that this was a “consensual relationship” with the wife of someone high up in the Celtics org chart
Whether or not the names being sleuthed around are the right ones who knows, but the smoke seems legit, esp given the murky circumstances to date.
None of us have any idea what happened.
Thanks for the update – informative.
Thanks for the baseless speculation. Even more informative.
No problem Curtis
So we all know you’re “OrienGreene” who curiously no longer posts? but are you also the in the Celtics Controller who had his wife blown out by Ime?
Is that why you’re so salty about this matter? Either way clarity goes a long way :)
You gotta look up “salty” and once again, remember you’re on the Internet.
When old guys use “salty” it’s all over.
100%, but also might be productive to look yourself in the mirror and realize “the internet” is ultimately just a reflection on your own sorry existence
Love u :)
You’re really worked up bro. How come?
None of this means anything. We went through this before. Just here to waste a bit of time and have fun.
My existence is fab.
Breaking people to the point they flip out and try to insult you is fun.
Feels like Kevin McHale or Stevens himself would be a better fit as head coach for this title contender than a 1st time coach who’s younger than some of the players
I’m certain that’s Plan B, Plan C fire Udoka and look for a LT replacement
There was only 1 women and he had to do her. Seriously you are married and sleep with the only female in the organization? You work for the NBA and can have any NBA groupie you want but pick a co-worker.
Udoka isn’t married.
With the same person for many years is about the same. Most likely his mistress wanted more and he just did it as a booty call. Not the best move to sleep with who you work with.
I’m pretty sure the Celtics could not gaf about that. Married or not, policy is policy.
So, did I misread when this first broke that the relationship itself..despite being “consensual” violated organization guidelines resulting in a potential suspension? And now it’s because at some point he made unwanted comments, not the actual inappropriate yet consensual relationship..?
I predict several more updates before this goes away. Probably all contradicting a previous story that was thought to be 100% factual.
Most likely he told her he was leaving his wife but dumped her so now she is angry. For a smart guy he lets his little brain make stupid decisions.
He’s not married, just engaged and she has stated for a long time she’s not interested in getting married. Research it and you will know before you keep posting he is married.
How is that the most likely scenario that happened?
Consent is not the key issue in this circumstance, as many trying to poo-poo this can’t realize.
Right @richt. That’s my point. First it was that it was in violation of organization guidelines, but now the story has shifted claiming its due to supposed “unwanted comments” he made to the woman he had the relationship with. I don’t like all the speculation (or what appears to be people defending him because he’s not actually married to the woman he’s been in a relationship with for a decade..) but this makes me think the C’s don’t believe they can fire him for the original violation, so more stuff is being added so they can.
Just because the story has “shifted” it doesn’t mean the underlying truth is different. New stuff comes to light but the violation is ultimately the same.
This isn’t about organizational guidelines. It’s about unwritten rules.
You can get away with sleeping around the office if you’re powerful enough. But if you sleep with someone else’s wife who’s also powerful….
This is why the mafia had the rule about other guys’ wives… they understood corporate culture better than anyone
@surfer so then why, when it was first reported, did they mention organizational guidelines with ZERO explanation, as reason for a (then) potential suspension?
And why does the organization have the guidelines if they aren’t going to enforce them?
Would you report that your HC was sleeping with your Controller’s wife?
Well, apparently it got out anyway, so…
Yeah. The mafia.
I really hope and pray that WAP was worth it. It better have had rainbows and waterfalls coming out of it too. Bro literally could’ve had any girl off the street. Why bang a coworker?? Smh hate to see it.
This story is getting murkier and murkier.
Udoka is never going to coach for the Celtics again. This was just a first step to handle this is pragmatically as possible.
Just a total disaster for the whole organization.
Unless he’s denying it, which it appears he isn’t, he would be on the street if he worked for any major corporation.
Pageup – I think that’s coming. There is a big PR side of this that major corporations don’t usually have to deal with unless it’s a top executive.
Why would other NBA teams want to hire someone who shows such poor judgment? He was always on lists for every opening and yet was passed over until this job. You have to wonder if there were prior incidents.
Pop tree, Finals in 1st season and big turnaround after a slow start.
I’m not saying I disagree with you, but organizations have fallen for much worse.
I would send Doc back to Boston and bring him to Philly tomorrow if they want to trade coaches? I will even offer to help Doc pack and drive him to the airport as well
No thanks, you can keep over rated Rivers
I get it lol…but he’s not overrated…at least not by anyone I talk too…most recognize he is not great…I would say he is rated fairly, an above average coach but not the guy you want driving a championship train
still over rated
By whom? Lol no one rates him highly
He’s rated high enough to get three premium title contending gigs with no down time in between.
Keeping it in your pants has no direct correlation to coaching the NBA
And if it did it would probably has the reverse correlation you’re insinuating
All we have to go on is baseless speculation.
But the only baseless speculation I’ve heard that fits the facts of the case is Ime slept with not just a co-worker but the wife of a co-worker, a co-worker who is probably high enough on the org chart that he’s on a first name basis with Wyc and Pags.
No point passing along baseless speculation unless you’re getting paid to do so.
Yup I’m getting a hefty salary thanks
Cannot be considered “baseless” if it fits the “facts”? Why does that even mean?
Ask him, he is the one saying all the speculation is “baseless”
I’m pretty sure I did