The head coaching position for the Boston Celtics was highly sought after, and understandably so.
After all, who wouldn’t want a chance to coach budding stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown?
Still, Boston knew who it wanted and hired longtime NBA assistant Ime Udoka. The Celtics were the first team this offseason to hire a new coach, and while dominos have fallen since, it’s clear the C’s got who they wanted to man the bench.
But how many candidates was Udoka going up against?
Wyc Grousbeck revealed the Celtics had 12 head coaching candidates on their list Tuesday during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Felger & Mazz.”
Grousbeck was also asked if the Celtics prioritized hiring a minority, which he didn’t take too kindly too. Unless you’re Jay Williams, you probably know Boston has had Black head coaches in the past, including being the first team to hire a person of color as its coach in Bill Russell.
“That’s not how we hire. We just hire the best possible person that we could,” he told the radio station. “Let’s not insult Ime, the organization, or me. … He’s a former player, coached to the top, coached Team USA. I’m gonna leave the answer at that.”
Udoka takes over a star-studded roster, but more changes sound as if they’re on the horizon.
