Udoka: Some players knew about dismissal
When former Celtics coach Ime Udoka was suspended prior to the start of last season for having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate team employee, several Celtics players voiced their frustrations because they felt they were in the dark about the situation.
On Saturday, Udoka, now the Rockets’ coach, returned to TD Garden for the first time since being suspended and subsequently dismissed, and he offered a slightly different view of how those difficult days unfolded.
“I would say they lied to [the media],” Udoka said. “They knew, some of them knew and, you know, obviously I could talk to them and they wouldn’t share stuff publicly. So, who needed to know, knew.”
Udoka said he was “upfront” with the players when he reached out and explained the situation to some of them. He took some comfort in being able to share information with them.
The Celtics reached the NBA Finals during Udoka’s lone season as coach in 2021-22 and entered last season as favorites to win the title. Udoka said he felt badly about not being able to help the team pursue that goal.
“Formed a lot of relationships within a year and obviously want to get a chance to run it back with a group you feel you can build and grow with,” he said. “So, letting the people down. I talked about the players, the relationships I built with them, the coaches that came with me, and then everybody else that was impacted by it. So for me that’s the biggest thing I would say overall is letting some people down, for sure. But we’ve talked it out and I’ve seen a lot of these people throughout the summer and talk regularly, and so we move past it.”
Udoka attended former Celtics guard Marcus Smart’s wedding last summer, joining a large Boston contingent that included team co-owner Wyc Grousbeck and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens. He said he has maintained friendships with certain members of the organization, just as he has done following his other stops in places such as San Antonio, Brooklyn and Philadelphia.
“I’d say it’s a different feeling coming into a different locker room, especially being in certain places for a significant amount of time,” Udoka said. “But I was thinking about Detroit yesterday, Boston today, and go to Philly next. So for the most part it’s come play, try to get the job done, and move on.”
When Udoka’s name was announced during pregame introductions, there were some boos and some cheers, but the primary reaction seemed to be indifference.
Good references
When Udoka was hired, assistants Joe Mazzulla and Tony Dobbins were the only members of his staff who were retained. Mazzulla, of course, went on to replace Udoka last season and has guided the Celtics to the NBA’s best record this season.
Udoka said he mostly leaned on recommendations from Stevens, as well as core members of the roster, when deciding how to fill his staff.
“I always say I want guys that are ambitious, and you see that with [former Celtics assistants] Will Hardy and now Ben Sullivan, and Joe will fit into the same mold of guys that want to be head coaches and I think it sharpens the whole group up,” Udoka said. “In general, didn’t know a ton coming in other than good recommendations from players and coaches and front office, Brad specifically and got to know him, and I see why he’s having success here.”