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Tag: Ime Udoka

  • Answering Questions About the Rockets 2025-26 Season – Houston Press

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    The Rockets have been on an upward trajectory the last three seasons finishing second in the Western Conference in the 2024-25 season before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs. It’s a far cry from three straight seasons of absolute misery and high draft picks. But, as the organization would say, improving is not enough. They feel like they are now ready for actual postseason contention in a stacked conference.

    GM Rafael Stone did his part in acquiring Kevin Durant from Phoenix this summer while also adding wing Dorian Finney-Smith and bringing back veterans like Fred VanVleet and Aaron Holiday. Now, it will be up to head coach Ime Udoka to figure out how to blend this very talented, but slightly off-kilter lineup to try and top where he took his squad last season.

    There are plenty of questions to be answered about the upcoming season. Let’s try to answer a few of them.

    How do they make up for the loss of VanVleet?

    The Rockets are a big-heavy team. It makes them formidable defensively and on the glass, but they are less flexible in the backcourt. Losing VanVleet the week before training camp to a torn ACL makes an already light guard group look downright concerning. FVV was critical for the team less because of his pure numbers and more because of the steadiness he brought on the floor. Prior to his arrival, the Rockets were one of the worst turnover teams in basketball. Since, they have been near the top of the league. He really does make that substantial of a difference.

    Now, this will be more of a point-by-committee situation with Amen Thompson (more on him in a moment) and Reed Sheppard (also him) splitting most of the duties while sprinkling in Aaron Holiday. Can they re-create FVV in the aggregate? We’ll see.

    Are they really going to go that big? Really?

    The “double big” lineup of Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams was effective down the stretch last season. Udoka has already said they plan to employ it liberally this year, especially now that they’ve added Clint Capela and Durant. But how big will they go, exactly. Udoka has hinted at a lineup of Adams, Sengun, Durant, Jabari Smith, Jr. and Amen Thompson. They could sub in Tari Eason or Dorian Finney-Smith at one of the wings as well.

    While not a row of seven footers, they might as well be with their collective wingspan. The issue is whether or not that lineup would be effective for more than short bursts of time. Defensively, they would almost certainly need to employ mostly a zone defense, which can be susceptible to good shooting teams and those that work the baseline. It will be fascinating to watch, but hard to imagine they could use this as much as some might believe.

    Is Reed Sheppard ready?

    It feels a little strange to wonder how a player who was mostly an afterthought last season could be the lynchpin to the Rockets success this year, but when VanVleet went down, Sheppard became their most viable option for a traditional point guard currently on the roster.  While he was the third pick in the 2024 draft, it was a pretty weak draft year. In other years, he might have gone later in the first round.

    Still, Sheppard has a lot of the qualities the Rockets need in a point. He’s a great passer and ball handler. He shot lights out from three in college. And he’s got very quick hands which made him one of the better pickpockets in the draft. But, is he ready? After limited minutes in his rookie season, he’ll get the first crack at holding down a big chunk of the point guard duties this year. The Rockets probably won’t fall off the edge of the Earth if he isn’t up for the challenge, but if he is, and becomes a quality NBA guard this year, their ceiling seems almost unlimited.

    Will Amen Thompson become a superstar?

    The other likely guy to see time at the point is Thompson, a wonderfully athletic, gifted player who made All-NBA First Team Defense last season. He is still working hard to improve his outside shot and, if he does, he has the stuff to be one of the best players in the world.

    This is his third year and he’s already showing signs of being that guy. The Rockets will need him for a lot this year. Defense, getting to the rim, finding open players on offense, and, most importantly, helping to keep the team together. It’s a heavy burden he will have to carry, but he seems up to the task.

    How healthy will Durant remain?

    Since missing all of the 2019-20 COVID season to injury, Durant has struggled to remain healthy and on the floor. In the four seasons after 2020, he played in 35, 55, 47 and 39 games. The last two, however, he’s played in 75 and 62 games, which is about as healthy as he has been since they year before his season lost to injury.

    At 37, he is still one of the best in basketball (ranked 15th by ESPN this year), but there is no question the Rockets will do everything they can to maximize Durant’s longevity for the playoffs, including resting him when needed. If he plays in 60-plus games this year, it would be a victory for everyone. The key is having him healthy for the postseason.

    Could Stone make another huge deal during the season?

    The Rockets are absolutely loaded with tradable assets, more than any other contending team in the NBA, thanks to Stone’s clever managing of the team’s draft and player salaries. They own two first round picks from Phoenix and a pick swap with Brooklyn over the next few years when both of those teams promise to be awful.

    Additionally, they have some young players on reasonable contracts including Smith and Eason. If the Rockets wanted to make a big swing during the season for another franchise-level talent, they probably could. Obviously, with the VanVleet injury, it would be tempting to eyeball backcourt help if they need it. For now, expect them to stand pat and wait. They can afford it and understand they will likely be repaid for their patience.

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • ‘Me And Coach Are Good’: Nia Long Opens Up About Having ‘Respect’ For Her Ex-Partner Ime Udoka Despite Public Breakup

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    Source: Stephanie Augello / Getty

    Nia Long is moving on and setting the record straight about where she stands with her ex-partner Ime Udoka, three years after their public split.

    Fresh off of reminding us all that the secret to her glowing beauty is “minding my business,” Long opened up about Udoka—with whom she shares son Kez, 13—and it seems to be mostly all good between the two of them.

    “I don’t talk much about my personal life ’cause it’s no one’s business, but every now and then people speculate things on social media and it’s like me and Coach are good,” she told The Cut. “I hope he wins. He deserves to win.”

    She continued,

    “It was really beautiful because we’ve had a very public journey that has found its way to peace and understanding. And there’s a lot of mutual respect that we have for each other. The most important gift you can give your kids is to heal your trauma.”

    Amen to that!

    Long is preparing to drop her memoir, but it seems she’s letting people know that if they’re expecting mess, this won’t be the book for them.

    “I’m not going to carry burdensome energy with me because that just transfers to my children and it transfers to everything else in my life. I’m proud of myself,” she said. “I think we’re proud of each other as the parents of Kez, that we’re able to make this an annual thing and commit to these last sweet years of him being in grade school and high school before he goes off to college.”

    In the interview, she also discusses her take on motherhood.

    “I talk about my kids a lot because they take up so much space in my life and in my heart,” she said. “Everything I do is for them. I’m not a perfect mother. I’ve made many mistakes, [and] my kids have seen me go through it. But that’s the type of mother I am, if I’m pissed, everyone knows. If I’m happy, everyone knows. Protect the innocence of your children, but allow them to see the truth in every situation.”

    Ms. Long is also stepping into a new era as the first brand ambassador for Estée Lauder’s North American company. She announced the news via a post displaying her signature beauty with the caption,

    “OMG pinch me! I’ve always admired Mrs. Estée Lauder’s belief that self-care isn’t reserved for special occasions—it’s an act of self-love. Her spirit as an entrepreneur, mother, and leader is something I deeply respect and connect with.”

    And in her usual OG fashion, she left the girlies with a word of advice for how to manage their womanhood in their 30s and 40s.

    “I don’t think there’s ever been a time in my life where I was willing to give up my life to be someone’s wife or girlfriend,” she said. “Ever. Period. I just wanna inspire women to trust the path, identify your purpose, understand the importance of sitting with yourself.”

    Yes, Nia!

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    imannmilner

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  • Projecting the Rockets 15-Man Roster Way Too Early

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    One preseason game in and all is well with the Houston Rockets. Alperen Sengun continues his offseason dominance, first with Eurobasket and then with one half against the Atlanta Hawks. Kevin Durant is set to make his debut Wednesday and most everyone is completely healthy.

    If the season ended today, the Rockets would be in the postseason!

    We kid. Point is, it is one of four preseason games in and we really don’t know what this team is going to be. We can guess they will be quite good, maybe even championship caliber. But, at this point, who can speculate? We can!

    Let’s start with a much, much too early look at the 15-man roster because we have time on our hands and nothing to worry about…yet.

    STARTERS

    Alperen Sengun
    Kevin Durant
    Amen Thompson
    Jabari Smith, Jr.

    Coach Ime Udoka has basically said these four will be in the lineup when the ball is tipped in game one. From a purely size and athleticism standpoint, this is going to be a beast for teams to wrangle. The question is whether Thompson will fill the point guard role or remain a wing with someone else starting at the point. The front line of Sengun, Durant and Smith will do damage.

    STARTER OPTIONS

    Reed Sheppard
    Tari Eason
    Dorian Finney-Smith

    Here is the intrigue. If Sheppard can make a jump from his rookie season, he could fill the shoes of injured guard Fred VanVleet. Interestingly, he has a similar size and style of play to FVV, but in only his second year, he will need to make a lot of progress. If Udoka decides to go with Thompson at the point, expect Eason here to start the season with Finney-Smith possibly getting his way into the starting lineup after fully recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Regardless of who is in the starting five, the other two will be critical components in the Rockets rotation.

    KEY RESERVES

    Stephen Adams
    Clint Capela
    Josh Okogie
    Aaron Holiday

    Adams and Sengun formed the double-big lineup that was so successful toward the end of last season and Udoka intends to continue deploying it, but now with Capela as an added wrinkle, both because he has a different set of skills from Adams and because Adams will not play every game this year. Okogie, who signed with the Rockets as a free agent, might surprise some. He’s a skilled defender with a wide body at just six-foot-four. Holiday hopes to continue his 50-percent-plus three-point shooting from the final third of last season as a safety net at point guard.

    FILLING OUT THE BENCH

    Jae’Sean Tate
    Jeff Green

    Tate and Green were part of a trio of Rockets players brought back (including Holiday) both for continuity and skillset. Tate is a spark plug defender who out-hustles virtually everyone on the floor. Green is the solid veteran big man who provides both in-game experience and a solid mentor for the younger players. Neither will play every night (maybe not every week), but they provide quality depth to a team that is pretty loaded on talent.

    ON THE BUBBLE

    JD Davison
    Kevon Harris
    Cameron Matthews

    Out of the three, Matthews, and unrestricted rookie free agent known for his tenacious defense, probably has the best shot of making the roster since both Harris and Davison are two-way players who can be shuttled back and forth from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This final spot could also be filled by a veteran if the Rockets sign someone in camp. But, don’t sleep on Davison, the G-League MVP last year. He can straight up shoot the ball as evidenced by his 17 points on 5-7 from deep against the Hawks.

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Rockets Media Day 2025: Hope Spring Eternal

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    When one door closes, another opens. Such is life in Houston sports with the Astros flaming out ahead of the postseason only to be replaced by the Kevin Durant-led Houston Rockets, who held their annual gathering of the media on Monday at Toyota Center.

    This year was a bit different for this Rockets team coming off their first postseason appearance since the pandemic bubble year of 2020 and introducing their latest acquisitions. It’s always all smiles on Media Day, but there was plenty to talk about.

    Media training for the team when it comes to contract discussions is on point.

    When ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst asked GM Rafael Stone about Durant signing a contract extension, Stone said, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” When a similar question was asked of Tari Eason about his own contract status, he responded, “You can ask, but I won’t answer because we don’t talk about contracts.” OK then.

    Kevin Durant gave interesting and thoughtful answers at Media Day.

    Kevin Durant is fascinating.

    Forgive this reporter’s first impressions of Durant, someone I have never covered, but he seems like one interesting guy. All his answers are measured and thoughtful. He’s clearly “nerdy” as he described his detail oriented approach to perfecting his game. When he gave answers, he sounded almost guru-like. Also, he said he has no doubt he’ll sign an extension, so I guess he talks about his contract.

    Jeff Green wants no part of coaching.

    Jeff Green is never ever ever going to coach.

    The last answer for the 19-year veteran who gave long and considered responses to every reporter was only two words, “Hell, nah!” The question: After all your experience as a player, do you think you’ll want to pursue coaching? Green dropped the words and then the mic before leaving to chuckles from the audience.

    Dorian Finney-Smith is one of a handful of funny guys on this roster.

    This team is full of characters.

    If Monday was any indication, the Rockets won’t need a laugh track, but they might need a 7-second delay for bleeping out curse words. Multiple players jokingly dropped F-bombs in their answers — most notably Steven Adams who is known for his sense of humor and occasional R-rated language. When Adams was asked about Durant, the person, he said, “I mean, he’s not a dick.” Newcomer Dorian Finney-Smith said of Amen Thompson, that he should “Not give a f****” and just shoot. Later, Thompson would say, “Yes, I don’t want to give an eff.” How polite.

    Clint Capela is really happy to be home.

    Clint Capela is happy to be back in Houston, like really happy.

    The former and now current Rockets center gushed about his “home” here in Houston. He didn’t say that he was unhappy in Atlanta, but he was beaming about his return, both to the city and the team where he got his start.

    Jabari Smith, Jr. put on some muscle this summer.

    Jabari Smith, Jr. is noticeably more muscular.

    When Smith walked into the assembly area, it was clear he spent a LOT of time in the weight room over the summer. He shoulders were bulkier and he looked really lean. He said he spent a lot of time getting stronger and trying to improve his ability to handle the game. He seems extremely confident.

    Reed Sheppard is ready for his second season.

    Everyone is excited about Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.

    The love for Thompson should come as no surprise. He could be one of the league’s best young players with an extremely unique set of skills and he said he improved significantly on his distance shooting, which is bad news for the rest of the league. But, hearing players rave about how good Sheppard looks is promising (especially since he will get more minutes now with VanVleet out). Sheppard said he spent the first three weeks of the offseason not even touching a basketball, just playing defense and lifting weights. He’ll need all the strength he can get this year.

    No one seemed as upset about Fred VanVleet’s injury as Alperen Sengun.

    Everyone is bummed about Fred VanVleet.

    Perhaps no one more than Alperen Sengun, who looked devastated when he spoke of the point guard’s torn ACL — he learned about it on the plane back to the states. VanVleet even spent time with Sengun his Turkey and it was pretty clear from the answers and he and Sengun have gotten pretty close.

    Imagine Amen Thompson is the shortest guy in the lineup.

    Could we get a massive all-big lineup?

    Speaking of Sengun, if you saw any of his performances in the EuroBasket tournament, you should be excited. He looked phenomenal. With the return of Adams and the addition of Capela (never mind Durant), this is a team loaded with big men. When you factor in how well the team played in the double big lineup last season and the loss of VanVleet, we might see a jumbo package on occasion. Coach Ime Udoka hinted at the idea of the “biggest lineup in basketball” with Thompson at point alongside Smith, Durant, Sengun and Adams or Capela.

    The league should be on notice about Tari Eason.

    Tari Eason is pretty damn confident.

    Feisty is certainly a word you can use to describe Eason, but he seemed genuinely perturbed at being left off the NBA top 100 players list over the summer. He spent his summer working on ball handling and shooting.  His defense and toughness have never been in question. When asked if he wanted to see an expanded role on offense, he leaned into the mic and said quite directly, “Yes!” He’s also fully healthy to start the season. If his game is as big as the chip on his shoulder, other teams are in trouble.

    The new hot dog with brisket is mighty tasty.

    One of the great benefits of Media Day is being fed — often new food items — by Toyota Center staff. This year was no exception with some nice additions to the menu including a spicy brisket hot dog with pickles. You’ll want to check that out. I will never sleep on the cookies, which are some of the best you’ll ever try. And, this year, they have a make your own tart/pie station? I got fatter just looking at it.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Rockets Probably Won’t Make the Playoffs, but Improvement Has Been Significant

    Rockets Probably Won’t Make the Playoffs, but Improvement Has Been Significant

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    With Sunday’s loss to the Mavericks coupled with a Golden State win, the Rockets chances of making one of the play-in spots for the playoffs shrunk to a size that is almost impossible to see. With just seven games remaining, they trail the Warriors by two full games and the tiebreaker which means they would need to gain at least three in about two weeks. Not impossible, but not likely.

    Regardless, this has been a remarkable season of growth for this still very young team. The first two-thirds of the season surrounded the emergence of Alperen Sengun as a bonafide young star and the surprising emergence of Cam Whitmore as a legitimate scorer off the bench despite being a rookie.

    In the last half of the season, Jalen Green, who was the subject of trade rumors after a disappointing start for the former second round draft pick, absolutely blew up having one of the best March’s in all of basketball. In addition, rookie Amen Thompson, thrust into a starting role, demonstrated a versatility that could make him a budding star sooner rather than later.

    Meanwhile, Jabari Smith, Jr. has been a steady and steadily improving presence in the low post.

    All this has happened despite missing second-year forward Tari Eason for most of the season due to a leg injury and incorporating a new system with coach Ime Udoka, who was just named Western Conference Coach of the Month for March. Never mind the additions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, both of whom have brought exactly what you would expect from the two veterans.

    click to enlarge

    Jalen Green turned on the jets in the second half of the season.

    Photo by Sean Thomas

    At 38-37, the Rockets are well ahead of last year’s 22 wins and on pace to perhaps even be better than .500 for the first time in four years. At the beginning of this season, we suggested that the Rockets might make a 12-game leap this season to 34 wins. We believed the likely win total ranged between 30 and 38. They have already met the top range of that projections with seven games remaining.

    The improvements on the floor have been sometimes slow and often painful. Defensively, they have remained in the top 10 in defensive rating all season, but poor shooting has seen them drop to the bottom third of the league in offensive rating. Still, a team with only two rotation players shooting better than 37 percent has managed to be fairly resilient, relying on a stingy defense that is Udoka’s calling card.

    Perhaps most incredibly, they have gotten better as the season has drawn on, even with the injury to Sengun. Thanks to a somewhat softer schedule and the emergence of Green as a legit star (again), they rattled off 11 straight wins to vault themselves back into playoff contention, something virtually everyone had thought impossible in February.

    Credit Udoka with sticking to his philosophies and the players for responding to them. With some health and hopefully some adding shooting, this is a team that should be poised for the postseason next year. 

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Amicable Exes: Nia Long Gives Ime Udoka A Break In Child Support Agreement, Agrees To $32K A Month Payment

    Amicable Exes: Nia Long Gives Ime Udoka A Break In Child Support Agreement, Agrees To $32K A Month Payment

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    Nia Long was recently awarded $32,000 per month in child support from Ime Udoka, but the stunning star could have received more.

    Source: Paul Archuleta / Getty

    In court documents secured by The Blast, the 53-year-old cut her former flame a break in the child support agreement for their son, Kez. Nia reportedly could have received an additional $24,000 from the Houston Rockets coach but agreed on a lower amount.

    In the stellar settlement, led by acclaimed attorney Samantha Spector, documents state that the Ime’s disposable income is $465,804 per month and since their 12-year-old resides with Nia 95% of the time, the child support calculates to approximately $56,389.

    Despite that, since Long is a high-earning actress, she decided to let her cheating ex off the hook and the pair mutually agreed on $32,500.

    As head coach of the Rockets, The Blast reports that the 46-year-old has a hectic schedule that requires him to travel cross-country throughout the year. For the 2023-2024, the cheater spent less than 5% timeshare with their son, while the remaining time was spent with the Friday actress in Los Angeles.

    Based on that, both parties will collaborate to schedule reasonable visitation for the NBA coach, taking into account Kez’s school and extracurricular schedule.

    Ime is required to submit written notice to Long via email and plan for all visitations at least 10 days in advance.

    Nia does not want this man playing with her or her son’s time, okay!

    As previously reported, Long initially filed court documents seeking sole physical and legal custody of their son, allowing Udoka visitation rights. Additionally, she requested the successful coach to cover all attorney fees. Nia play of the hand likely sparked the custody battle and discussions about child support.

    Udoka responded to Nia’s filing by requesting shared physical and legal custody of their kid, which included decisions concerning medical treatment, Kez’s religious practices, and any matters concerning his schooling. Ime noted his willingness to adhere to Nia’s visitation requests as he preferred for their son to remain with her to continue his educational arrangement.

    Ime Udoka And Nia Long Split In 2022

    The couple’s breakup was headline news in September 2022 after the Celtics notified the media (not Long) that Udoka was having an extramarital affair with a staff member.

    BET's 2017 American Black Film Festival Honors Awards - Arrivals

    Source: Paul Archuleta / Getty

    The organization outed the head coach at the time for engaging in an “intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the Celtics’ staff” despite being engaged to Long since 2015.

    Udoka would later issue a statement of remorse and the shocking news left Long reeling. After taking time to heal, she expressed that she withdrew their son from school early on the day of the announcement and said he was affected by the Celtics making “a very private situation public.”

    The actress who has been beauty goals since the 90s says the ugly way in which the Celtics publicized Udoka’s workplace affair left her and their son “unprotected” and she told The Hollywood Reporter she was appalled that “no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK, It’s very disappointing.”

    She would later go on to blast Udoka’s alleged mistress by name in an Instagram post wondering why a white woman’s tears hold more value than a Black woman’s.

    “Where was this level of awareness a year ago @celtics ??? #kathleenlynch,” wrote the actress.

    Houston Rockets v Cleveland Cavaliers

    Source: Jason Miller / Getty

    TheDailyMail reports that Kathleen Lynch is a married Mormon mom and a team liaison who arranged travel, lodging, and game tickets for Celtics family members at home and on the road. She allegedly did so for Nia herself before her alleged affair with Ime Udoka was exposed.

    Udoka clearly wasn’t the “best man” for Nia but hopefully, he will focus on being the best father for Kez after this epic fumble.

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    Carmen Jones

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  • Nia Long Fumbler- Ime Udoka Ejected After Sassy Back & Forth With LeBron James– Allegedly Called The King 'Soft A** Boy'

    Nia Long Fumbler- Ime Udoka Ejected After Sassy Back & Forth With LeBron James– Allegedly Called The King 'Soft A** Boy'

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    Ime Udoka – Source: Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty

    Ime Udoka and LeBron James engaged in an interesting back-and-forth that left bystanders confused and showed Bron in rare form.

    During his 21 years in the National Basketball Association, LeBron James has never smudged his flawless image. He is always camera-ready and nothing ever seems to bother him. With all the attention, hype, and responsibility that comes with being the King naysayers are always ready to hate.

    According to CBS Sports, during the Lakers and Rockets game head coach Ime Udoka took his chance to challenge the throne.

    During the second quarter, Udoka and LeBron started tongue wrestling while courtside. Trash talk is normal but based on the reactions of nearby fans it was way deeper.

    Leave it to social media to find the shaky audio and then try to decode what was allegedly said.

    Udoka: “Stop b*tching”

    LeBron: “Nah that b*tch word ain’t cool…don’t use it so loosely”

    Udoka: “What are you gonna do about what I said? Walking over here like you’re gonna do something….soft ass boy”

    Ime was ejected from the game after refs nearby heard the exchange and didn’t approve. Even tho social media is hard at work guessing what was said both LeBron and Ime played it off when asked about the dust-up in the post-game presser.

    “We had some conversation and [the refs] didn’t like what they heard,” Udoka said. LeBron later said the conversation was discussing “how much we enjoyed Thanksgiving.”

    It’s nice to see both being mature but we all know it’s a front. We need to hear their unfiltered opinions on one another and the root of the problem.

    Ime is probably on his last strike in the NBA and poking the bear and all-time leading scorer isn’t a great idea.

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    Noah Williams

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  • Stephen A. Smith: The Boston Celtics Should Apologize To Nia Long

    Stephen A. Smith: The Boston Celtics Should Apologize To Nia Long

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    Stephen A. Smith thinks the Boston Celtics should apologize to Nia Long — and that that apology is way overdue.

    The ESPN host addressed how the Celtics handled Ime Udoka’s suspension as head coach last fall and how their actions impacted his former partner, Long, in a video posted on his podcast, “Know Mercy with Stephen A. Smith,” on Friday.

    “What about the sister, the Black woman named Nia Long, that was thrown to the wolves by having all of this publicized?” he said in the clip. “Did she deserve that?”

    In September 2022, the Celtics suspended Udoka as head coach for what was reported to be an improper relationship with a team employee. The team held a press conference addressing the suspension that month.

    Smith argued that the Celtics’ press conference inadvertently embroiled Long, a beloved actor, into a media circus. Udoka and Long had been together for 13 years and share a son, Kez, 11. They have since broken up.

    “If you mention him and another woman, inevitably, she’s going to come up,” he said about Long. “How come they just left her out there standing on her own? I will always defend her. I will always defend her on this issue.”

    He added, “To have a press conference and put his business, tacitly or otherwise, on front street, you didn’t think about Nia Long at all.”

    The actor thanked Smith for “his support” in the comments section of an Instagram post where he shared the clip.

    Smith called out the Celtics for hosting the press conference in another clip, charging that race played a role in the way the team treated Udoka, who is Black.

    “I’ve been covering sports for 30 years, I have never seen a press conference to address somebody’s suspension, and everyone knew because of the leaks that preceded the press conference ― even though they didn’t say much in the press conference ― that it was about his sexual relationship,” he said.

    During the team’s press conference in September, Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations, addressed speculation that was ramping up on Twitter at the time about which female staff member of the Celtics might have been involved in the scandal.

    Stevens shared an emotional message of support for the women in the organization.

    “We have a lot of talented women in our organization, and I thought yesterday was really hard on them,” he said. “Nobody can control Twitter speculation and rampant bullshit, but I do think that we as an organization have a responsibility to make sure we’re there to support them now. A lot of people were dragged unfairly into that.”

    The team did not share details surrounding the circumstances of Udoka’s suspension at the time, but that he violated team policies.

    Long has since criticized the Celtics for hosting the press conference. She also shared her disappointment that no one from the organization had reached out to her amid their public statements about supporting Celtics female staffers.

    “If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK. It’s very disappointing,” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter in December.

    “I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” she added. “It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it’s not easy for him.”

    Udoka, now the head coach of the Houston Rockets, said during a news conference this week that he has since been in counseling with his son after news of the scandal broke to “help him improve the situation that I put him in.”

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  • Celtics remove interim tag, name Joe Mazzulla head coach

    Celtics remove interim tag, name Joe Mazzulla head coach

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    BOSTON (AP) — Joe Mazzulla has been so steady guiding the Celtics through a franchise-shaking crisis that their turbulent offseason has taken a back seat to their championship aspirations.

    The team rewarded him by turning a temporary opportunity of a lifetime into a permanent one.

    Boston named Mazzulla its full-time head coach on Thursday, removing the interim tag he had held since stepping in for Ime Udoka in the preseason.

    Udoka initially was given a yearlong suspension before training camp for having an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization. The 34-year-old Mazzulla, previously an assistant under Udoka, will now replace his former boss, who is no longer with the team. Mazzulla is the NBA’s youngest head coach.

    “Since I’ve been here I always knew where I stood,” Mazzulla said Thursday. “And even though it was an interim position … I knew I was going to get a fair shake and get an opportunity. I knew I was going to be able to do it the way that I thought to give us the best chance to be successful without any pressure because of that.”

    Terms of his new deal were not released, but the team said his promotion includes a contract extension.

    “I’ve always been surrounded by great people and great coaches,” Mazzulla said. “I just think I’m a byproduct of all the different environments I’ve been in.”

    Mazzulla’s Celtics have the best record in the NBA (42-17) and led Milwaukee by one game in the Eastern Conference ahead of the Bucks’ game at Chicago on Thursday night. Boston won’t play again until after the All-Star break.

    Mazzulla said he found out the process of making him the permanent coach was underway two days ago and that the deal was finalized after the Celtics’ 127-109 win over Detroit on Wednesday.

    Mazzulla and his assistants will coach Team Giannis — the team that will be captained by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo — in the All-Star Game Sunday at Salt Lake City. Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were named All-Stars.

    “One of the things that’s pretty obvious and evident about Joe is he’s a really good coach and he also is just an outstanding leader,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said. “I think he’s done a great job right from the get-go of galvanizing the locker room around a mission.”

    Stevens said he decided to elevate Mazzulla now because of the job he’s done and because he didn’t want the coach and his staff to enter the second half of the season under “a cloud of uncertainty.”

    “They’ve certainly have earned that,” Stevens said.

    He declined to elaborate on why he made the move now instead of waiting until the season ended.

    “We said in our original statement long ago that decision would be made at a later date. We wanted to make sure we were thorough, we were really focused on our team from that day on,” Stevens said. “I thought the players leadership, the staff’s leadership and Joe’s leadership have all stood out during that time.”

    Mazzulla, who is from Johnston, Rhode Island, was recognized as the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November after leading the team to a league-best 18-4 record (.818).

    He said being on top of the East is something he would take the time to appreciate over the All-Star break — while also thinking about how the Celtics can maintain their strong play in the second half.

    “It’s there, you can’t run away, you can’t ignore it,” Mazzulla said. “I do think there is a comfort level knowing that. But that was kind of my message to the guys. That at the same time you can’t be too comfortable because when we get back, it picks right up.”

    Udoka, a longtime assistant, led Boston to a 51-31 record last season, his first as a head coach — going 26-6 in the final 32 games. The Celtics then beat Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Miami on the way to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

    Before training camp, the Celtics banned Udoka for a full season over what two people with knowledge of the matter said was an improper relationship with a member of the organization. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal that detail publicly.

    Despite those circumstances, Boston looks fully capable of winning a title.

    “All things considered, everything that we’ve went through this season as a team with coaching changes and guys getting injured, missing games and being in and out of the lineup. … Overall, it’s been a hell of a start,” Tatum said after the win over Detroit.

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    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Celtics suspend coach Ime Udoka for 2022-23 season

    Celtics suspend coach Ime Udoka for 2022-23 season

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    BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have suspended Ime Udoka for a full year, banning the coach who led them to the NBA Finals last spring for the entire 2022-23 season over what two people with knowledge of the matter said was an improper relationship with a member of the organization.

    The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal that detail publicly. In a statement issued Thursday night after a full day of wrangling over the terms of the punishment, the Celtics said Udoka violated team policies and left open the possibility that a longer separation could follow.

    “A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date,” the team said.

    Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will take over as interim coach, one of the people who spoke with The AP said. The defending Eastern Conference champions are scheduled to hold media day on Monday and open training camp on Tuesday in preparation for the Oct. 18 season opener.

    In a statement published by ESPN, Udoka apologized “to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down.”

    “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision,” he said. “Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”

    A longtime assistant in his first NBA head coaching job, Udoka led Boston to a 51-31 record last season — going 26-6 in the final 32 games. The Celtics beat Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Miami on the way to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

    The developments stunned the NBA and shook up a team that had been among the favorites to contend for a championship this season. It would be an unprecedented 18th title for the franchise.

    But in Boston, the story was reminiscent of the shakeup across town in 2020, when Red Sox manager Alex Cora was suspended by Major League Baseball for a year for his role in a sign-stealing scandal at his previous job, with the Houston Astros. Instead, the sides parted ways.

    After a last-place finish under Ron Roenicke in the pandemic-shortened season, Cora was re-hired a year later and welcomed back.

    It is unclear if Udoka and the Celtics will be as eager to reunite.

    The 45-year-old Udoka spent the bulk of his NBA playing career with San Antonio and then joined Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s staff as an assistant. Udoka was on the Spurs’ staff from 2012 through 2019, winning it all in ’14, and he quickly found his way onto short lists for open head coaching jobs.

    He spent the 2019-20 season in Philadelphia and the 2020-21 season in Brooklyn before the Celtics hired him in June 2021 as the successor to Brad Stevens — who moved up to the front office. In Year 1, Udoka finished fourth in coach of the year voting and the Celtics came within two wins of the championship.

    “The future is bright and we’re just getting started,” Udoka said after the NBA Finals.

    Perhaps not.

    The bombshell on the eve of training camp is the latest twist heading into what was supposed to be a promising season for the NBA’s most-decorated franchise.

    The Celtics bolstered their runner-up roster by acquiring guard Malcolm Brogdon in a trade from Indiana, then added sharpshooting veteran forward Danilo Gallinari as a free agent. But last month, Gallinari tore the ACL in his left knee and will be lost for the coming season.

    Center Robert Williams, a key part of the Boston defense scheme who played through injuries during last season’s playoffs, is still dealing with knee soreness and is expected to miss the start of the season.

    The Celtics were also mentioned in speculation over a new home for Brooklyn forward Kevin Durant, a perennial All-Star who asked for — and then backed off — a request to be traded. Although the talks amounted to nothing, it raised questions about Boston’s commitment to young star Jaylen Brown.

    It’s also the second major disciplinary situation in as many weeks in the NBA: Commissioner Adam Silver decided last week to suspend Robert Sarver — the owner of the Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury — for one year and fine him $10 million after an investigation showed his pattern of disturbing workplace conduct, including abusive and racist language. Sarver said Wednesday he intends to sell his teams.

    Mazzulla interviewed for the Utah Jazz coaching job this summer, a position that ultimately went to Will Hardy — another of Udoka’s assistants in Boston last season.

    Mazzulla’s only previous experience as a head coach is a two-year stint at Division II’s Fairmont State in West Virginia, where he went 43-17 and made the NCAA tournament in his second season. A native New Englander from Rhode Island, Mazzulla played at West Virginia, was an assistant for the Celtics’ G League team before taking over at Fairmont State, and then got hired by the Celtics again in June 2019 to be part of Stevens’ staff.

    Mazzulla’s last game at Fairmont State was against Mercyhurst. His first real game with the Celtics will attract a bit more attention: Boston is scheduled to host longtime rival Philadelphia in the opener, when they will tip off a year-long tribute to Hall of Famer Bill Russell.

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    Reynolds reported from Miami.

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    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports



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