Celtics head coach Ime Udoka – husband of actress Nia Long – “faces a possible year-long ban for inappropriate, consensual relationship with a staff member,” throwing the team’s preseason preparation into chaos
- Team leaders discuss punishment with a possible ‘significant suspension’
- Ime Udoka led the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first season as head coach
- Boston opens training camp on Tuesday, the season begins on October 18
- Udoka is married to actress Nia Long, who gave birth to the couple’s son in 2015
- According to Bally Sports, Long and Udoka were previously separated
Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is reportedly facing a season suspension for an inappropriate, consensual affair with a team employee.
Udoka is married to actress Nia Long, who gave birth to the couple’s son in 2015. Long and Udoka are said to have “been separated prior to the current issue,” it said Brandon Robinson from Bally Sports.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who was the first to report the impending suspension, writes that Udoka’s job is not in jeopardy. However, the team sees the relationship as a breach and a decision on the length of the suspension could be made on Thursday.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported that Udoka had “an improperly intimate and consensual relationship” with a female member of the team’s staff. ESPN has since confirmed this coverage.
The team’s spokespersons did not immediately respond to ‘s request for comment. The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach has confirmed that Udoka will be banned for violating team rules, although his sources have not revealed the specific violation.
Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka could be suspended with a penalty yet to be determined days before the start of this year’s NBA season for violating team rules
Udoka is married to actress Nia Long (left), who gave birth to the couple’s son in 2015
According to Bally Sports’ Brandon Robinson, the couple “are said to have been separated prior to the current issue”.
Udoka was named head coach of the Boston Celtics at the start of the 2021-22 season after former head coach Brad Stevens was promoted to president of basketball operations.
In his first season as head coach, Udoka compiled a 51–31 record and led the Celtics to a regular Atlantic Division title.
Udoka then helped lead Boston to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. There they fell in six games against the Golden State Warriors.
His top assistant Will Hardy left Boston to become the head coach of the Utah Jazz, leaving current Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla as a potential Boston replacement if Udoka is suspended for an extended period, according to ESPN.
The Celtics will hold a media day on Monday before opening training camp on Tuesday. Their first preseason game is on October 2 at home against the Charlotte Hornets. Boston opens its regular season roster Oct. 18 at home against the 76ers.
Udoka’s top assistant Will Hardy (right) left Boston to become the head coach of the Utah Jazz, leaving current Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla (left) as a potential Boston replacement should Udoka go on an extended ban, per ESPN
Prior to joining the Celtics, Udoka spent eight seasons as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs under head coach Gregg Popovich and helped win an NBA title in 2014.
Udoka left San Antonio in 2019 for the Philadelphia 76ers. The following season he became an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets.
He was subsequently hired as the Celtics’ head coach, becoming the fifth black head coach in team history.
A Portland native, Udoka played at Portland State before embarking on a journeyman career that took him from minor independent leagues to Europe and eventually into the NBA, where he took bank roles with the Spurs. He also had brief stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings.
Before joining Boston, Udoka won a ring as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs