The Boston Celtics have their next head coach. According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the team has tabbed Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka as the next person to lead the team.
The Boston Celtics are finalizing an agreement to hire Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka as the franchise's new coach, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2021
Stevens was believed to value Udoka's extensive experience as an assistant with Spurs, Sixers and Nets. Udoka had developed into a top head coaching candidate in this cycle, and seemed destined to get a job. He's getting one with the Celtics that includes two young All-Stars.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2021
While he would be a first-time head coach, Udoka, 43, comes with quite the coaching background. After a 12-year playing career that included stops in the United States and abroad, Udoka joined Gregg Popovich’s staff in San Antonio in 2012. He spent seven years there prior to becoming an assistant under Brett Brown in Philadelphia last season, and this year, he was on Steve Nash’s staff in Brooklyn.
He also has some experience working with Popovich on the staff of USA Basketball, and according to Wojnarowski, that helped give him a leg up on some of the other competitors. Four members of the team that participated at the World Cup in 2019 — Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and the recently-traded Kemba Walker — were members of the Celtics, and Woj reports that they speak fondly of him.
Udoka separated himself quickly in Brad Stevens' search process, including significant support from Celtics players who were impressed with Udoka after working under him with Team USA in the World's. https://t.co/87p0Q02tkS
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2021
This marks the second major move made by Brad Stevens, the team’s lead executive who left his role as head coach to take over for Danny Ainge in the team’s front office. The first came last week, when he traded Walker to Oklahoma City in a deal that brought Al Horford back to Boston.
