Celtics Coach Ime Udoka Facing Team Suspension For Cheating On Nia Long

Source: Boston Globe / Getty

Ime Udoka is facing disciplinary action from the Boston Celtics for having a consensual and intimate relationship with a female staffer, violating team rules.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Udoka is likely to be given a suspension from the team and the length of the suspension could be announced as soon as Thursday (September 22). Although the length of the suspension has yet to be decided internally, there is a possible scenario that Udoka could be suspended from the team for the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

Celtics coach Ime Udoka had an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. It’s been deemed a violation of franchise’s code of conduct.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2022

Udoka was hired last season as the Celtics’ head coach after the previous coach, Brad Stevens, stepped down to join the front office. In his first year, the Celtics were the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. After a slow start to his tenure, the Celtics finished a 35-game stretch with a record of 28-7, then swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs.

He made history in the playoffs by becoming the fifth head coach since 1997 to take his team to the Finals in his first year and the first rookie head coach to win two Game 7s in a single postseason run.

Udoka has been married to actress Nia Long since 2015 and the couple have a 10-year-old son together.