Celtics coach Emi Udoka will likely be suspended for the duration of the 2022-23 season due to his consensual relationship with a woman on the organization’s basketball team, according to a report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
ESPN was the first to report that Odoka was facing a possible suspension, while Shams Asherani the athlete She was the first to report the regulatory breach attributable to Odoka’s relationship with the franchise member.
With Odoka facing a possible suspension, The sources said Sports IllustratedChris Mannix The Celtics coach considered resigning from his position in the wake of breaking regulatory guidelines.
Odoka’s resignation would change the course of the organization dramatically. While Odoka’s senior assistant Joe Mazzola is expected to be named interim coach in Odoka’s absence, there are wide-ranging ramifications for Odoka’s resignation and exit from the organization.
Will Boston continue with Mazzulla or begin a thorough search for coaching? Mazzola never held a position as a head coach in the NBA, and was only the head coach of the Boston Summer League team. Other than that, Mazola’s only coaching experience is at the college level with Vermont State from 2017-19 before he joined the Boston bench.
Odoka was signed before the start of last season. Once Danny Ainge exited the organization, former head coach Brad Stevens stepped into the vacant Ainge office position, leading to Udoka being removed from his assistant position on the Brooklyn bench.
In his first year with the Celtics, Odoka led Boston to its first NBA Finals appearance since 2010. The Celtics lost in six games to the Warriors, but entered the 2022-23 season as a favorite to win the NBA title under Odoka’s tutelage and a solid roster under the titles Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford.
This is an evolving story. Check back for updates.
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