Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka used crude language with a female team staff member before beginning an "improper" relationship with the woman, an independent law firm found, contributing to the severity of Udoka's one-year suspension, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Wojnarowski adds that Udoka's language was "deemed especially concerning" coming from a head coach toward a subordinate, and contributes to a difficult roadmap for him to return as Celtics head coach once his suspension is over.
The power dynamic between Udoka and the staff member was the "primary finding and policy violation" from the law firm's report, according to Wojnarowski.
Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022-23 season last week after the months-long investigation by an outside law firm commissioned by the Celtics found he'd committed multiple violations of team policies.
When speaking to reporters following the suspension, neither Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck nor president of basketball operations Brad Stevens elaborated on the specifics of the violations or the private report that was delivered to the team. But a person with knowledge of the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the details were not made public, told The Associated Press that it involved an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization.
Udoka's multiple violations involved one woman, a Celtics spokesman said. No one else in the organization is facing discipline, Grousbeck said, adding that the team will be vigilant to make sure that Udoka's actions aren't a signal that there is a larger problem.
The 45-year-old Udoka took over as Celtics head coach ahead of the 2021-22 campaign and had immediate success, leading the team to the NBA Finals before falling to the Golden State Warriors. The Celtics went 51-31 in Udoka’s first season in charge.
Before joining the Celtics, Udoka was an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2020-21 season. He first started coaching as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs in 2012 and also has spent some time on the bench with the Philadelphia 76ers.
With Udoka suspended, the Celtics promoted 34-year-old assistant Joe Mazzulla to the head coaching job. The Celtics won't prevent Udoka from signing elsewhere should another team seek his services, Wojnarowski reports.
With files from Associated Press
