Celtics announce major suspension news for Ime Udoka
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
The Boston Celtics on Thursday night announced the discipline for coach Ime Udoka.
Udoka has been suspended for the entire season for “violations of team policies.” The team is making assistant coach Joe Mazzulla their interim head coach.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 23, 2022
Although brief, the announcement contains a few interesting details.
One, the statement says Udoka committed multiple violations of team policies, not a singular violation. That could contribute to the length of the suspension.
Two, the team is not making any promises about bringing Udoka back after the season. Perhaps their mentality is that if the team does well under Mazzulla, they won’t have a reason to bring back Udoka.
Though the team has not shared any information about the reason for the suspension, a report says Udoka had an improper intimate but consensual relationship with a team employee.
Udoka, 45, led the Celtics to the NBA Finals last season, which was his first season on the job.
