The Celtics have suspended coach Ime Udoka for the entire 2022-23 season for violating team policies, the franchise announced Thursday. The team added in a statement that “a decision regarding his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date.”
The second-year coach’s punishment is the result of an intimate relationship with a female member of the organization, as The Athletic first reported on Thursday morning.
Some members of the Celtics organization first became aware of the relationship in July, sources said. At this time, the team’s management was led to believe by both parties that the relationship was consensual. But sources said the woman recently accused Udoka of making unwanted comments about her, leading the team to launch a series of internal interviews.
The team’s decision and announcement came after a closed meeting on Thursday that involved team owners and chairman Brad Stevens and lasted several hours, sources said. Earlier Thursday, Stevens and members of the Celtics front office met with players at the team’s facilities.
“I want to apologize to our players, our fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family for letting them down,” Udoka said in a statement late Thursday. “I am sorry to have put the team in this difficult situation and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will not comment further.
Udoka, 45, was entering his second season at the helm of Boston after taking over in June 2021 from Stevens, who became president of basketball operations. The Celtics went 51-31 in the regular season last year and reached the