Celtics Announce Season-Long Suspension For Coach Ime Udoka

The Boston Celtics will officially be without head coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season.

After nearly 24 hours of reports and speculation, the Celtics announced Thursday night that Udoka will be suspended for the entire upcoming season due to “violations of team policies.”

This is the Celtics statement read in full:

“The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has suspended Head Coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies. A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date. The suspension takes effect immediately.”

Udoka’s violation reportedly is having an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female staffer on the Celtics, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The Celtics did not reveal who would assume head coaching duties in Udoka’s absence, but there have been multiple reports that top assistant Joe Mazzulla will take over the role.

In his first season with the Celtics, Udoka guided the Celtics to a 51-31 regular-season record before helping them advance all the way to the NBA Finals.