After being suspended by the Boston Celtics for the duration of this season, Ime Udoka is positioning himself for a second chance at coaching in the league.
And Udoka is taking another step closer to becoming an NBA head coach again.
The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported that Udoka will interview Wednesday for the vacant head coaching job with the Houston Rockets. The Rockets are moving on from Stephen Silas after three seasons.
Udoka is seen as a “prominent candidate” for the position, but as previously reported, he isn’t the only person the Rockets are considering for the job, with Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel in the mix, as well.
Udoka came close to taking the helm of the Brooklyn Nets in early November after the franchise fired Steve Nash. But the Nets ultimately passed on Udoka, with women in the organization reportedly pushing back on the hire.
Udoka’s reputation was tarnished in Boston, as just a few months after leading the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance, he received a team-issued ban for violations of team policies. He reportedly had an improper relationship with a female staffer, and his time with the Celtics officially came to an end when the organization shed Joe Mazzulla of the interim label and promoted him to head coach in mid-February.
Despite the Rockets being tied for the second-worst record in the NBA this season at 22-60, it could be a solid landing spot for Udoka as he works to rehab his image. Houston has a young core, led by 2021 No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green, for the 45-year-old to work with and the Rockets are in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. The Rockets have a 14% chance — the same as the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons — to land the top selection in the NBA draft lottery.
That, along with just getting to coach again, would be enough to intrigue Udoka in the position, but it will come down to if the Rockets believe he’s ready for another opportunity.
