Five things to know about Ime Udoka
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Here are five things you need to know about Ime Udoka:
Portland raised
Udoka grew up in Portland, Oregon, and was a standout at Jefferson High School, which also produced former Kansas star Aaron Miles and NBA forwards Terrence Ross and Terrence Jones.
Udoka began his college career at Utah State Eastern and then played one season at San Francisco University before transferring home to Portland State.
The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in his senior season with the Vikings. He was named first team All-Big Sky.
Professional career
Udoka went undrafted in 2000. He played in the D-League and internationally before making his NBA debut with the Lakers in 2004.
Udoka's best season was in 2006-07 with his hometown Trail Blazers. He started 75 games and averaged 8.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Udoka also played for the Knicks, Kings and Spurs.
He played two seasons in San Antonio from 2007-09 and had a second stint with the Spurs in 2010-11, his last NBA season.
Nigerian national team
Udoka's father was born in Nigeria, which made Udoka eligible to play for the Nigerian national team.
He represented Nigeria in the 2006 FIBA World Championship and in multiple FIB A Africa Championships.
Udoka's sister, Mfon, played for Nigeria in the 2004 Summer Olympics. She spent three seasons in the WNBA and later joined the Nigerian national team as an assistant coach.
Coaching path
The Spurs hired Udoka as an assistant coach before the 2012-13 season.
“Ime Udoka possesses an outstanding work ethic as well as a natural inclination to teach,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said at the time. “We are excited to add someone with his potential to our coaching staff.”
That marked the beginning of a seven-year run for Udoka in San Antonio. Udoka won a championship with the Spurs in 2014.
Udoka left Popovich's staff last summer to join
Brett Brown, a former Spurs assistant, in Philadelphia.
“I understand the grass isn't always greener, but I'm always up for challenges and not playing it safe and taking gambles and risks,” Udoka told The Athletic. “Instead of staying in the same situation and being comfortable, I like to shake things up at times.”
Udoka was Brown's lead assistant in what was a disappointing season for the 76ers. Brown was fired in August and new 76ers coach Doc Rivers is in the process of hiring his staff.
Next step
Udoka, 43, has been a reported candidate for just about every head coaching vacancy this year, including the Bulls, Knicks, Nets and Pacers.
He was also conside red as an internal candidate to replace Brown in Philadelphia, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported.
This isn't the first offseason in which Udoka has been strongly considered for a head coaching job.
In 2018, Udoka interviewed with the Hornets, Magic, Pistons and Raptors, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.