Update 09/22/2022 2:07pm:

Four months after Ime Udoka led the Boston Celtics on a surprise run to the NBA finals, the head coach of the heralded franchise is rumored to be facing a one-year suspension for partaking in a consensual relationship with a female staff member, which is against company policy. The lengthy punishment appears so inevitable that the Celtics have already deemed assistant coach Joe Mazzulla as his potential replacement. In response, Stephen A. Smith has called into question the integrity of the Boston Celtics' front office, along with the fairness of their punishment, indicating a racial undertone. In a recent segment of First Take, the ESPN analyst dropped a scathing hot take on the matter.

"I'm appalled by this decision," Smith said. "If you're not going to fire him, he shouldn't be suspended. You can dock pay, you can fine him, you can keep the stuff in-house. I'm appalled [that this has been] publicized. I'm going to repeat what I said at the top of the show. I know of plenty of situations spanning the entire world of professional sports where folks are messing around with each other. You don't see this become a story. This was leaked by the Boston Celtics organization! I know a lot of things about the Boston Celtics organization as it pertains to stuff like this that I could repeat. [But] it would be irresponsible and none of my damn business. Just like it's none of our damn business now, and I'ma say it again, I don't see nothing being put out to the masses with these White dudes doing this stuff. I know plenty of White dudes that was screwing around....I'm talking about professional sports...I know plenty! I've never seen this publicized! Where are we publicizing this about Ime Udoka?!"

Later in his rant, Smith goes on to call the Boston Celtics organization "disgraceful," "really weak," and "sleazy."

Source: ESPN


Original 09/22/2022 10:05am:

Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, who has been engaged to Nia Long since 2015, is facing a "significant" suspension for violating team rules after he allegedly had a consensual, intimate relationship with a female staff member.

There have been reports about Udoka possibly being suspended for the 2022-2023 season, but his job is not considered to be in jeopardy. The female staffer's position with the team has also not been revealed. 

Udoka played in the NBA for nearly a decade and began his coaching career with the Spurs after leaving the league in 2012. He took coaching jobs with the 76ers and the Nets before joining the Celtics in 2021, where he led them to a Finals appearance. 

Nia and Udoka have been together since 2010, and they got engaged five years later. They share one son together. Neither has publicly addressed the recent allegations. 

Source: TMZ