Report: Celtics to name interim coach for 2022-23 season
Dec 25, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka looks on during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is facing a lengthy suspension, and the team has reportedly decided who will replace him during the ban.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday that Udoka will be suspended for the entire 2022-23 season. Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will take over in the interim. An official announcement is expected from the Celtics in the near future.
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
Udoka is facing a suspension for violating the Celtics’ franchise guidelines. According to one report, the 45-year-old coach had an improper intimate but consensual relationship with a team employee, which was deemed in violation of the franchise’s code of conduct.
In his first year as head coach of the Celtics last season, Udoka led the team to the NBA Finals. Losing him for a full year is a major blow to one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.
While it is unclear if something changed recently, Udoka had been in a relationship with actress Nia Long for years. The two confirmed their engagement in 2015 and share a 10-year-old son together.
