Jalen Rose delivered a forced apology on Friday night after asking a question regarding the Ime Udoka situation.
Rose was speaking on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” show prior to the start of the Chicago Bulls-Boston Celtics game. The hosts were talking about Udoka being a leading candidate to get the Brooklyn Nets head coach job despite his suspension from the Celtics for having an improper relationship with a woman within Boston’s organization.
Rose's initial comments earlier tonight on NBA Countdown: pic.twitter.com/KaGhb58fHU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 5, 2022
Rose questioned why the identity of the woman with whom Udoka had his affair has not been made public.
“We know his name. Maybe I’m missing something as it relates to the law, but why we don’t know her name? It’s not like she’s a minor. I feel like we should know her name publicly as well,” Rose said.
Later on, Rose apologized for asking that question.
“This is Jalen Rose, and I would like to apologize for a comment I made earlier on ‘NBA Countdown.’ I questioned why a woman’s name, who had an alleged affair with Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, was not made public. After an internal investigation, and it was discovered she was a subordinate to the head coach, I now understand fully why her name should not be released to the public,” Rose said.
Jalen Rose apologizes after questioning why the Celtics staffer involved with Ime Udoka should be able to maintain privacy: pic.twitter.com/9tjuxGTkv4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 5, 2022
An investigation reportedly revealed that Udoka used crude language and made unwanted comments to the woman. Their intimate relationship was characterized as “improper but consensual.”
Rose has been a host on “NBA Countdown” since 2012.
