Ime Udoka was introduced as the coach of the Rockets on Wednesday.
If you’re in Boston, that still probably feels weird.
It has been nearly a year since Udoka led the Celtics to the NBA Finals and seven months since Boston suspended—and subsequently dismissed him—as its coach. Joe Mazzulla has thrived as Udoka’s replacement, finishing third in the Coach of the Year voting. The team is one win away from advancing in the playoffs and oddsmakers have installed the Celtics as the favorite to win the whole thing.
And yet seeing Udoka, flanked by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and GM Rafael Stone, still felt … weird.
Perhaps it’s because when it comes to Udoka’s exit from the Celtics, there’s been no closure. No details. No public reasoning behind his exile except for a reference to violations of team rules that was later revealed to be an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer. In September, Udoka apologized in a statement … and then fell off the grid. No interviews. No Tweets. The coach who led his team to the Finals in his first season simply disappeared.
On Wednesday, Udoka was asked about his breakup in Boston.
“I released a statement months ago when everything happened and apologized to a lot of people for the tough position I put them in,” Udoka said. “And I stand by that and I feel much more remorse even now towards that. I spent this last offseason working on myself in a lot of different ways, improving in areas, and it gave me a chance to sit back, reflect and grow. And I think that’ll make me a better coach and overall a better leader. But the situation, the matter’s been resolved and I can’t really speak much about it.”
He was asked about the steps he took to improve.
“Just having that time off and really a full understanding of how many people you impact by a poor decision where you start with the ownership and accountability,” said Udoka. “I preach that to the players and so I have to take responsibility for my part in it. I took leadership and sensitivity training and some counseling with my son to help him improve the situation that I put him in. You can grow from adversity and I think I’ve done that this year if you spend it in the right direction or take the right steps.”
That the Rockets hired Udoka is unsurprising. Someone was going to. Udoka’s transgression may have been enough to get him booted from Boston but across the league it wasn’t considered a basketball death sentence. The Nets were close to hiring him weeks after he was suspended. Toronto had him on a short list of candidates to replace Nick Nurse. Stone told reporters the Rockets “did due diligence” and “we got comfortable that it was an appropriate hire.” Fertitta said he had lengthy conversations with NBA officials about Udoka. Said Fertitta, “the NBA told me that they felt very comfortable with Ime becoming the coach of the Houston Rockets.”
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Asked if he thought the Celtics were justified in firing him, Udoka offered his most candid response.
“Honestly my part in it was to take ownership and accountability for my part,” Udoka said. “They had a choice to make, a decision and they went that route and my thing was own up to it, take responsibility. And I served the suspension and had to own it … so it was their right to go about it however they wanted to and that’s the choice they [made].”
In Houston, Udoka’s challenge is sizable. The Rockets won 22 games last season—the most the team has won in the last three years. There is talent. Jalen Green can score. Kevin Porter Jr. is a playmaker. Jabari Smith Jr. has do-it-all potential. But the team is undisciplined. Houston was 27th in offensive rating last season. It was 29th in defense. With no veteran influence in the locker room—at least not any that wanted to be there—ex-coach Stephen Silas was put in the impossible situation of trying to develop a team without experienced players to show them how to do it.
In Udoka, the Rockets are getting a taskmaster. Udoka isn’t subtle. “My style, personally, is very upfront, honest and blunt to an extent,” said Udoka. He said he loved Houston’s youth and potential “but now we have to take the next steps.” In Boston, Udoka regularly—and very publicly—called players out on mistakes. On Wednesday, Udoka suggested he didn’t expect that to change.
“I think the players respect that honesty, straightforwardness,” Udoka said. “I’m a very relatable guy to the players and that’s [why] I try to build those relationships. They know I’m going to coach them hard and coach them the right way. And I think a lot of these guys respect that.”
There is potential in Houston, more if the ping pong balls bounce the Rockets’ way next month. The possibility he could coach Victor Wembanyama undoubtedly appealed to Udoka. Add a transformative big man to a group that includes Green, Smith, Porter and Alperen Sengun and there’s a chance to improve quickly. Houston could have $60 million in cap space when free agency begins this summer, arming the Rockets with the capital to add veterans to this young core.
“One of my first messages [will] be ‘youth is not an excuse,’” said Udoka. “Across the board I think whether it’s making the same mistakes, not making the right defensive assignments, poor shot selection, all that stuff has to be addressed but also improved on. Understanding that we’re going to take some lumps with our age and our youth, but my message to them would be that's not an excuse. You've been in the league, you've been taught and that's my job to teach them and expedite that process.”
