Former Nigerian Basketball player, Ime Udoka has been suspended from being the head coach of Boston Celtics for 2022/23 NBA season effective immediately.

Reports suggests that Udoka had an intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise’s staff.

This has led to his official suspension as the coach of the 2022/23 season with his assistant coach Joe Mazzulla said to be the interim head coach.

Udoka’s top assistant coach, Will Hardy, left the team in June to become coach of the Utah Jazz.

The suspension has taken effect with the decision on his future said to be reconvened back to later in the season.

“I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down,” Udoka said in a statement to ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”

Udoka joined the Celtics last summer after spending time with the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets as an assistant coach following his NBA playing career.

He replaced Brad Stevens as coach. Stevens moved to administration to be Boston’s president of basketball operations after his predecessor in that job, Danny Ainge, chose to leave the organization.

Udoka won two bronze medals with Nigeria in 2005 and 2011 at the African Championship.

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