BOSTON — After head coach Ime Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022-23 NBA season, Boston Celtics managing partner Wyke Grausbeck and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a press conference on Friday, It provided little factual content, citing “privacy reasons for those involved.” “
The Celtics formally suspended Udoka Thursday night for “violating team policy.” The news comes after The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported, through an anonymous source, that Udoka “had an inappropriate intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of her staff on the team.” Brought in less than 24 hours. Charania later reported that “a woman recently accused Udoka of making unwanted comments about her.”
Neither Grousbeck nor Stevens have commented on the details. They confirmed that they learned of the nature of Udoka’s crimes “during the summer” and immediately hired an outside law firm to launch a “thorough and impartial investigation” when the news first leaked to the media. It ended on Wednesday when it started.
“We have a lot of talented women in our organization, and I thought yesterday was really tough for them,” Stephens said, holding back tears, of the time between when the news leaked and when it was shut down. “No one can control the speculation and rampaging bulls on Twitter***, but so many people have been unfairly dragged in that we as an organization are now out there to support them.” I think we have a responsibility to make sure that
The investigation “intensified in recent weeks” and had several “twists” before the Celtics felt they had a full explanation for what Grausbeck described as Udoka’s “multiple transgressions”. .
Asked what constitutes a one-year suspension, which is due to end on June 30, 2023, rather than Udoka’s dismissal, Grausbeck said: “It felt right, but there are no clear guidelines. It’s really a matter of conscience and intuition and having been here for 20 years. We arrived at this in. It was clear that something substantial needed to be done, and it was done.”
The Celtics did not offer a guarantee that Udoka would return to the bench following the suspension, which would be “with a significant financial penalty”.The team has not set parameters for Udoka’s return. “We don’t talk long term because nothing has been decided,” added Grausbeck.
Grausbeck said Udoka expressed “acceptance and appreciation for how this is being handled”.
“I would like to apologize for disappointing the players, the fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family.” statement on thursday. “I am sorry to put the team in such a difficult situation. I accept the team’s decision. With all due respect to all involved, I will refrain from further comment.”
As to whether the Celtics believe Udoka’s actions constitute sexual harassment, Grausbeck said he was “incapable of jumping to any legal analysis conclusions.”
Stevens confirmed that assistant Joe Mazura will serve as interim head coach in Udoka’s absence. Stevens said there “may be additions” to the bench and expressed confidence in the experience of existing staff, particularly Damon Stoudamire and Ben Sullivan, whom Stevens described as “future head coaches”.
The Celtics hired Mazura in 2019 to work as an assistant to then-coach Stevens. He assisted Boston, Maine’s G League affiliate in his 2016-17 season and West at Fairmont State University in Virginia, where he spent two seasons as his coach and qualified for the Division II NCAA Tournament. did.
A player at West Virginia University, Mazzulla pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and public intoxication charges in 2008 in an alleged brawl with police. Suspected of grabbing a woman by the neck at a bar in Morgantown, West Virginia.
“When I was considering hiring him as an assistant, I took a hard look at what happened when he was in college,” Stevens said. “I am a strong believer in Joe’s human substance. You can see it in the way he treats….I strongly believe it shaped him.I know in a very good way who he is today, but I will be the first to say I am 110% responsible for that and I will be the first to say I trust him.”
Grousbeck said he had a “short conversation” about the possibility of Stevens returning to the Celtics’ bench as head coach. Stevens said he would “never” play that role this season.
Stevens said, “Joe is the best choice to do it in the long shot.
Udoka coached the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals. They enter this season as championship favorites.
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Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer at Yahoo Sports. Any tips? Email rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow us on Twitter. Follow @Brobach
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