Boston Celtics reporter would be ‘pretty shocked’ to see Ime Udoka coach again

MassLive’s Brian Robb has some bad news for Boston Celtics fans hoping to see Ime Udoka, who led the team to their first NBA Finals appearance in 12 years during his head coaching debut in 2021-22, return to the team once his suspension is done.

Mainly, the plugged-in reporter would be ‘pretty shocked’ to see Udoka return in a coaching capacity at all. As Robb pointed out in his latest Boston Celtics Mailbag, the team didn’t allow the suspended HC to release a statement through them, and the story goes that he made unwanted comments towards a female higher-up on the team after allegedly engaging in a consensual physical relationship with her.

At this point, no outcome for the team will reflect well on him. If the team wins with interim head coach Joe Mazzulla, the narrative will be ‘why do the Cs even need Ime?’ If they start off slowly, the drama surrounding his suspension will be deemed the cause. The ‘best-case’ scenario for Udoka would be an inverse of the 2021-22 season unfolding when the team rallied from a 23-24 record to finish with the Eastern Conference’s second best record.

Here was Robb’s damning take on the situation:

"“At this point, I’d be pretty shocked if he did. Time will ultimately tell the tale on this front but wouldn’t surprise me to see the two sides eventually reach some sort of buyout of Udoka’s contract.”"

Joe Mazzulla was handed a golden ticket being named interim Boston Celtics head coach

Truthfully, Joe Mazzulla inherited a better short-term situation — which his interim title indicates is more important than the long-term — than 99% of coaches in the NBA typically do. He has a golden ticket to bring a championship-ready roster to a championship the fanbase is begging for.

Whether or not that comes to fruition can determine how quickly Udoka’s permanent replacement is found. Again, though, Mazzulla has the chance to step in and be great, and because of the circumstances, forge an undeniable legacy for a franchise in desperate need of some positive press. Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens believes in him, so he needs the players to soon believe the same.