The Celtics will likely suspend head coach Ime Udoka for the entire 2022/23 season for his role in a consensual relationship with a female staff member, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, a formal announcement is expected later today.
Wojnarowski first reported on Wednesday night that Udoka was facing a possible suspension for violating the Celtics’ “organizational guidelines.” Shams Charania of The Athletic later offered more details, stating that the head coach had an “intimate and consensual” relationship with a female member of the Celtics’ staff.
It was exactly one year ago today that Gersson Rosas was fired by the Timberwolves as reports surfaced indicating that he had engaged in an extramarital affair with a female member of the Wolves’ staff. In that instance, Rosas’ job performance was cited by Minnesota as the primary reason for his dismissal. In Udoka’s case, the Celtics presumably have no complaints about his on-court performance during his first year as an NBA head coach in 2021/22.
After a slow start, Boston finished the regular season as the NBA’s hottest team, claiming the No. 2 seed in the East. The Celtics then made a run to the NBA Finals, coming within two wins of the franchise’s first title since 2008.
Assuming Udoka is suspended for the entire season, assistant coach Joe Mazzulla is expected to become the team’s interim coach for 2022/23, Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). Will Hardy, who was Udoka’s top assistant last season and likely would’ve been first in line to become the team’s interim coach, left the organization this offseason to become the head coach in Utah.
Celtics had no shot at a title before this and have no shot after this.
Dude, we know you think that. You say it allll the time. We get it.
Celtics have a shot at the title because they are a good team and Ime didn’t do anything that people can’t rally around him about, consensual adult relations, craziest dumbest suspension I have ever heard of
But parx, what if it’s against company rules and he signed off on it in the employment agreement? Makes sense to me.
I agree with you the Celtics of course still have a shot at the title.
@A’s – imagine being a bandwagon fan and constantly talking smack. It’s beyond pathetic
Ime learned nothing from sir DMX. Smh…
Or from Steve Phillips.
He cheated on Nia Long?! I gotta see this dame.
Probably not as good looking. That’s how it usually goes
Arnold nanny bad?
Strange is strange.
Cheating is almost entirely based on insecurity. Not really anything to do with sex. If Ime cheated, it’s because something’s wrong with him or his self-perception. Doesn’t have anything to do with Nia Long.
Thanks for the analysis — I was wondering why Udoka cheated
Lol, women need a reason. Men just need a place.
Or he just got bored and wanted some strange. No matter who you are dating, it gets boring banging the same chick all the time.
Agree, and ya gotta factor in what a great stress reliever sex can be, and everyone knows how much stress NBA coaches are under, epecially Udoka was.
I don’t want to moralize anyone. It’s your opinion. That’s how you feel.
But getting “tired of banging the same chick” doesn’t mean that you should cheat on your partner. What if it was the other way around? What if your wife/girlfriend cheated on you? What if she wanted something “strange” as well?
How would you feel?
That’s not how relationships work.
As if it weren’t hard enough on his wife, having this blasted all over the national media is only worse for her.
This is getting ridiculous. What are we the moral police? As long as it is consensual it is none of our business or an employer’s business.
It’s a coworker who is lower on the food chain than he is. It’s unprofessional and could exhibit favoritism.
Still none of our business or the employers. Was there favoritism? No. Did she complain? No. Did he pressure her? No. This is what is messed up in our society, meddling in other people affairs and judging them. And let’s not forget the over reach of employers in people’s life. What you do on your own time, as long as you hurt no one, is nobody’s business but yours. Sick of this judgemental peeping tom society.
We only have the word of the Celtics’ brass and reporters. Until the lady comments on the matter herself or the details become public, I’ll reserve judgement. If this turns out to be more like what Isiah Thomas pulled as President of the Knicks, that changes things.
@Arm
Organizations have rules, carefully thought out to address situations they’ve been exposed to in the past. In this case, it’s no dating or sexual relations among employees regardless of whether or not it’s consensual. Think about it. It’s all good until one side isn’t happy then things can go sideways. An ugly breakup can cause a lot of problems and our courtrooms are filled with accusations of rape, misogyny, sexual harassment, etc. Most are legit and some are lies. Having a policy where no one does or attempts any kind of sexual or romantic relationships will largely nip most potential problems in the bud. Also reduces the chances of potential treatment, . etc. Just stay away.
@Arm: “Still none of our business”
But it is literally the Celtics’s business. You can’t have someone as high as Ime engaging in a relationship with a lower level employee because it could open up the Celtics to a host of potential lawsuits. If this woman gets fired for any reason at any point in the future, she can file a lawsuit. If she gets promoted, her coworkers can file a lawsuit.
This has absolutely nothing to do with morals. It’s about the legal ramifications of a high level employee sleeping with a low level employee.
It’s funny that Arm was so sure a few days ago of this:
“Did she complain? No. Did he pressure her? No.”
We’re now seeing how wrong Arm is. But he needs to put down women in order to feel better about his fragile male ego so he comes out with the BS first.
She happens to be a VP who works for Stevens, went to Harvard and is former WNBA player. But rules are rules.
I agree in theory but at the same time these are well known rules if you’re in Udoka’s position
So while the rule itself may be moralistic (although some would argue it’s to protect women) it’s still poor judgment on Udoka’s part
Women can protect themselves. We need to stop treating them like they are a porcelain doll waiting to be broken.
Suggest you do a shift or two on a rape crisis line or volunteer at a shelter for women and children. Or not, if you aren’t willing to be compassionate and you are committed to your frame.
It isn’t about disrespecting the power of women, it is about the misogynistic culture we have and its impact on men and relationships.
It’s not about morality, but lawsuits. Sarver didn’t get in trouble just for his own behavior.
You never had a job?
Does anyone else find it weird, also, that Udoka is getting more for a consensual relationship than most players get for sexual assault? Well. Weird isn’t the word. Infuriating, maybe.
I know it’s confusing, but one thing has to do with workplace conduct, and the other does not.
Same thing would happen to someone who was a manager at an insurance company if he was having an affair with a coworker. Like it or not, its the way things are these days. This isn’t unique.
You’re aware players get suspended by the NBA right? And Udoka has been suspended by the Celtics. Stay angry tho
I’m aware. What I’m saying is “that isn’t the way things should be, and the fact that people think it’s acceptable pisses me off”.
Dude it’s common knowledge that if you’re in a HC position, or any sort of position of power in any organization, YOU CANNOT SLEEP WITH YOUR SUBORDINATES. They both knew the risks. Nobody is saying he’s suspended for being unfaithful or for “harming women”. You have a view of this situation that simply doesn’t exist
I’m not saying that at all. Don’t put words in my… text post (I was going to say mouth but I’m not speaking xD)
I’m not saying Ime shouldn’t have been punished. I’m saying that players who commit NONCONSENSUAL sex acts should have more punishment, not less than someone gets for sleeping with their subordinates in a CONSENSUAL relationship. I’m fine with Ime’s punishment standing.
Are you talking about Watson?
And you have reading comprehension issues.
OP isn’t saying Udoka didn’t deserve to be punished; they were just wondering why sexual assault—a more violent, aggressive and non-consensual offense—doesn’t garner a longer suspension comparatively speaking. And morally speaking, the logic is sound.
Really stupid but they prob have lawyers work up all this workplace conduct stuff to cover their butts
Yeah, fair. That doesn’t make it less stupid, but it does make more sense viewed that way.
It’s stupid, but getting surprised it happens is so 90s.
“How does this happen???” – Jerry Seinfeld voice
Folks pay to watch the players… no one pays to watch Udoke!
The point is that no one cares ‘bout him!
Isn’t too much one year suspension for this? I get that they have an internal code but if its a consensual relationship i don’t get why this hard of suspension.
Because Brad never wanted Udoka as a coach
Listen to Stonk, he knows everything about what Brads Stevens thinks.
Brad Stevens and the Celtics wanted him badly! How bad?? V.P. Of Player Development Allison Feaster came along with Stevens and the owners when they interviewed him for the job. Clearly this guy has a “type” when it comes to women.
No, man, you aren’t paying attention. Stonk said he never wanted him.
Nah, Tatum and Brown wanted Udoka, and now we know why. And now we know how he got this team to get along and loosen up.
Brad hired him because it kept his players happy. But when Udoka outcoached Brad in 1 year, Brad had enough and found a way to get him out of there
Yeah, I know man, we all get it, this is all one great big plot by Brad Stevens to get Joe Mazzula to be head coach like you said. Oh, he is so evil.
The SJWs would go ballistic if they didn’t do something substantial.
It’s all about image.
Rosas was canned for it so this is more lenient than that
Although I agree in the sense that if it’s an internal conduct thing then doesn’t Boston have the latitude to suspend him, IDK, 25 games instead? Or some amount of time that doesn’t jeopardize the entire season?
Could also be a leadership thing. You have a guy talking about all of that stuff while knowingly violating organizational policy. A slap on the wrist may not go over well. But this is also just how strongly organizations tend to react to this sort of thing.
I guess they figured better a full season than 50 games and the huge media distraction as the team approaches the playoffs.
Joe mazzulla the new coach. Just what Brad always wanted
It’s true! Brad planned on having Joe Mazzula be the coach all along. Stonk and I both knew this from the very beginning.
Well he actually wanted Will Hardy but Ainge swooped him up, before Brads plan was complete
Oh, right. So it wasn’t what Brad always wanted. But it is what Brad wants now.
Thanks for clarifying. Sometimes we all get confused.
And the 2022-2023 Celtic seasons is over.
He should be suspended for the year for cheating on Nia Long.
They should’ve just fired him and been more professional. Now that this is out here like this it’s going to be hard for him to keep this job or get another job.
Do you think for a second that at least half the teams in the league wouldn’t hire him? You telling me Brooklyn wouldn’t kick Nash to the curb in 5 seconds if Udoka were available? He’d have plenty of opportunities
This is so backwards. A whole season for a consensual relationship? Lmao
It’s not nearly the same as the Suns, but if this is allowed to happen it could very well be a step in that direction. This is clearly an example being set in the Celtics organization. Albeit, very harsh in my opinion especially for the point that was made that players have done and continue to do far worse with less consequence.
As far as “why” he did it? Honestly, who cares why? The fact is that he did it and only he knows why for sure. Everyone else is just speculating.
This is policy in most corporate jobs. He got off lucky that he wasn’t fired
Have like none of you people held jobs before? Management having a relationship with a subordinate is not allowed in most places. It opens up the company, needlessly, to lawsuits.
Yes it’s not allowed. However, you can acknowledge this but also believe it’s overreach to have such a rule.
Wonder if it’s Lizzo he is cheating with?
So a professional sports team still has the same BS a normal business place does… same thing happened at a restaurant I worked at in college. Manager was fired after an investigation. The waitress he was tapping quit when it got out.
You were talking to yourself in the mirror? How can a head coach play favorites. What’s he gonna do, promote her to assistant? Unless he is blantly lying to management about her performance, that’s not even possible.
I get Rojas got fired for essentially the same thing but IDK …. it seems like the punishment for both is a little harsh (although with Rojas it may have just been they wanted him gone anyway)
Not that work romance can’t be predatory because it obviously can ….. but it can also be consensual. Not sure what exactly went down here and maybe there are details we don’t know that made Boston opt for a harsher punishment
But on the surface it seems like some 25-40 game suspension would have got the point across without impacting the entire season over a (as far as we know) consensual indiscretion
Sheesh. Brad Stevens would be an awful wingman.
Why not just fire him? I don’t understand suspending him for a year.
They must really have liked the job he did to keep him. That much is clear.
If the Celts didn’t turn things around in January and put together an improbable run that nets an Eastern Conference Championship and a Finals appearance, Udoka’s ass is sacked. Guaranteed.
No doubt
Something like this deserves heavy punishment: Ime should have to pick up the 4oclock Dunkin’ run for the rest of the year and take Friday’s off during the preseason for this heinous act
The infraction doesn’t warrant the penalty with the information provided. A year is nonsensical.
It’s normal for a corporate environment. Actually he’s lucky he wasn’t fired
Udoka has the “Kavorka” – “the lure of the animal”.
One year suspension…, I’m wondering if coach had a reputation and they put this in his contract language ??
Dude cheated on Nia Long?? He should’ve gotten a lifetime ban for such foolishness LOL
Lucky for Udoka that he wasn’t fired. His excellent first season as a coach likely had some sway with him keeping his job
Even tho they probably got an open marriage and probably do swinger stuff, this was dumb to jeopardize the job of a lifetime over some side piece. Plenty of women in Boston who don’t work for the Celtics that you could’ve plugged…smh
Heard this years ago…
“Don’t fish off the company dock.”
Dude got suspended longer than DeShaun Watson.
This is the dumbest story in the history of professional sports.
People bang in every Industry, it’s just human nature
But leave it to this generation to put consensual sex on trial
My only Q now is how many more fall outs will we have b/c people are banging everywhere…… 2nd Gm in line gonna drop the line on #1 now to move up the ladder???? This is a gross precedent
This generation? This has been frowned upon for a long time. It isn’t anything new. You just don’t hear about it often because, well, sports. No one gives a crap is so-and-so gets fired from Morgan Stanley for the same offense.
It’s been going on for decades.
Yes. It’s a generation that’s emersed in an ethic that abhors both human nature and risk. The art of risk management has been replaced with the (pseudo) science of risk obliteration.
For those wondering why teams frown upon this sort of thing even when the two individuals involved work in different parts of the company, I can only imagine it’s because one has the power and clout to essentially force the other to maintain the relationship even should they decide they want to be done with it. For example, Udoka could say “if you stop having sex with me, I will make sure you get fired”. There’s also the lawsuit angle of things, and that probably takes precedent over everything.
It’s a bit of a stretch since even if something like that were to happen, it would be less an issue of the relationship itself and more the organization allowing the more powerful individual to wield such authority (which does happen unfortunately). Still, it’s common knowledge in literally every workplace that hooking up with coworkers is a big no-no. And Udoka could have had a ton of women outside the organization. So even if I’m not 100% sure I agree with the logic behind such punishments, I have little sympathy for his actions.
For the folks complaining that it’s just sex, yes, that’s exactly the point. He could have gotten sex from anywhere, but he foolishly chose to seek it from his own workplace. An incredibly dumb decision based on a total lack of discipline, which is ironic considering his position.
Pay Riley strikes again!
Pat
Well, that’s one way to get Joe Mazzulla a shot.