The Boston Celtics, current NBA runners-up, announced Thursday the suspension of their manager, Ime Udoka, for the full 2022-23 season due to “team policy violations” in a decision that shook the league once again. of basketball.
“The decision on (Udoka’s) future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date,” the Celtics said in a brief statement, without giving further details on the reasons for the decision.
According to the ESPN network and digital media The Athletic, the penalty is the product of a consensual but “inappropriate” relationship between Udoka and a Celtics employee, a situation that allegedly violated the franchise’s code of conduct.
“I want to apologize to our players, the fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family for disappointing them,” Udoka, 45, said in a statement released by ESPN.
“I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for all involved, I will not comment further,” said Udoka, one of the emerging figures on the NBA bench after leading the Celtics to their first finals in 12 years.
The Celtics’ punishment, one of the most severe applied to a coach in the NBA, comes a few days before the start of training for the new season, which begins on October 18.
In his first season as NBA head coach, Udoka harnessed the full potential of a team led by All-Star young strikers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
After a rough start to the season, Boston re-emerged to finish with 51 wins and 31 losses in the regular round and star in some brilliant playoffs where they knocked out Kevin Durant’s Nets, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks and Jimmy’s Heat Butler.
Udoka’s Celtics only succumbed to Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors in the finals with an overall score of 4-2.
– Scandals in the NBA –
In their statement, the Celtics did not specify who will take on Udoka’s role next season.
Hours earlier, ESPN reported that his temporary relief will be his assistant Joe Mazzulla who, at 34, will become the league’s youngest manager.
Udoka replaced Brad Stevens last season as the Boston bench, who was promoted to president of operations following the departure of Danny Ainge.
Previously, Udoka, an NBA player for seven seasons, had a long career as an assistant to Gregg Popovich in the San Antonio Spurs (2012-2019) and later in the Philadelphia 76ers (2019-2020) and Brooklyn Nets (2020-2021). ).
The Celtics coaching staff are hit hard after also losing another key figure in June, assistant Will Hardy, who was hired as the Utah Jazz head coach.
Udoka’s sanction shakes the NBA a few days after the scandal generated by the results of the investigation into Robert Sarver, owner of the Phoenix Suns.
Sarver was also suspended for a year and fined $ 10 million for racist, misogynistic, and workplace mistreatment for years within the Suns organization.
External pressure, with claims from stars like LeBron James and Chris Paul, prompted Sarver to announce Wednesday that he will be selling the Women’s Basketball League (WNBA) Suns and Phoenix Mercury. (AFP)
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