Not to be missed: Donald Faison, the Boston Celtics’ owner, has passed away.
Due to infractions of team policy, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was suspended for the entire NBA season on Thursday.
After this season, the Celtics said in a statement that they will decide on his future with the team.
The suspension takes immediate effect.
The specifics of Udoka’s policy violations were not disclosed by the Celtics.
According to reports from ESPN and The Athletic, the 45-year-old Nigerian-American allegedly broke the team’s code of conduct by engaging in a consensual relationship with a female Boston Celtics employee.
Next week marks the start of the Celtics’ preseason training camp, and the team has received one of the toughest suspensions ever inflicted on an NBA head coach.
Udoka apologized for letting his family, the players, the Celtics organization, and the fans down. I’m sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I honor their decision.
In consideration for all parties involved, I will not be commenting more.
ESPN reports that assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will take over as interim head coach for the 2022–2023 campaign.
Udoka’s finest assistant from the previous season, Will Hardy, departed in June to become the head coach of the Utah Jazz.
Brad Stevens was promoted to president of basketball operations following Danny Ainge’s exit, and Udoka assumed coaching duties for the 2018–19 campaign.
Udoka played in the NBA for seven seasons before his playing career ended in 2011, the latter four of which he spent with San Antonio.
He was an assistant coach for a spell with San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn prior to joining the Celtics as head coach in June 2021 and leading the team to an outstanding debut season.
Under Udoka’s guidance, Boston concluded the previous season with a 28-7 run, establishing the strongest defense in the NBA.
They overcame the incredibly skilled Brooklyn Nets in the opening round before falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the second round.
After defeating the Miami Heat in seven games in the Eastern Conference finals, they made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.
Despite losing their June championship series to the Golden State Warriors in six games, the players showered Udoka with adulation.
“You know you have the makings of a great coach who’s striving to get somewhere special when you have a coach who’s ready to hold you accountable, and not just you but everyone on the team the same way,” Boston’s Marcus Smart remarked during the NBA Finals.
Following a thrilling off-season in which the Celtics signed Malcolm Brogdon and experienced free agent Danilo Gallinari, the turmoil raises more questions about the team’s upcoming season.
After rupturing a ligament in his left knee during an August Basketball World Cup qualification as an Italian player, Gallinari will miss the entire season.
Celtics Stadium Rob Williams is expected to miss the first few games of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
