Despite the fact that he is now not with the workforce after a scandalous departure, Ime Udoka stays enthusiastic about how the Boston Celtics overcame the chances and received all the pieces.
Udoka, assembly his former workforce for the primary time after successful the 2024 NBA Championship, had nothing however reward and congratulations for the Celtics for getting the job performed final season.
“I am definitely completely happy for them and I wasn’t shocked,” Udoka mentioned earlier than the Houston Rockets’ 109-86 loss to Boston. “It got here in regardless, so I took the steps that they have been taking earlier than I obtained there, and the 12 months I used to be there, clearly it wasn’t as much as par with that 12 months. I do know that I used to be pushed and motivated to get it performed after I obtained there.
“I am very excited for them, however not shocked by their leap.”
In his first expertise as a head coach, Udoka particularly took over because the Celtics’ play-caller for the 2021-22 season. After a sluggish begin, he led the group to a outstanding season turnaround and protection by main the group to 51 wins and securing a spot within the NBA Finals, the place they misplaced a hard-fought six-game sequence to Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. led to a grasp class.
He and the Celtics have been in a robust place to salvage the state of affairs the next season, however all of a sudden in the summertime of 2022, information broke that Udoka had had an inappropriate relationship with a feminine workforce member, and workforce management He was suspended indefinitely. In consequence, he was finally fired and changed by assistant coach Joe Mazzula.
Underneath Mazzula, the Celtics maintained their standing as one of many league’s stalwarts. And simply final season, the 36-year-old coach led his workforce to a historic 64 wins and 18th championship.
As the pinnacle coach of a younger and rising Rockets workforce, Udoka has witnessed from afar how a lot the Celtics have improved in each side since he took over.
So he could not be extra enthusiastic about what’s in retailer for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the remainder of the Celtics as soon as they mature and eventually style the last word victory.
However on the finish of the day, the Celtics absolutely acknowledge throughout their brief however productive run that they would not have gotten to the place they’re right this moment with out Udoka’s strategy.
Derrick White mentioned of what he realized from Udoka, who he had two partnerships with with each the Celtics and San Antonio Spurs: “That physicality and toughness that he loves, and he instills that in all of us as gamers. They planted issues for me,” he mentioned.
“Have that type of feeling (mentality) and don’t again down from something.”
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