Report: Ime Udoka set to be Celtics’ next head coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics reportedly have found their next head coach.
The Celtics are finalizing an agreement with Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Ime Udoka to be the team’s next head coach, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday.
Udoka, 43, enjoyed a seven-year NBA career after going undrafted and playing overseas. He spent seven seasons as an assistant for Gregg Popovich on the Spurs and won a championship in San Antonio in 2014. Udoka joined the Philadelphia 76ers as an assistant coach in 2019-20 before spending this season with Steve Nash’s Nets staff.
The Portland, Oregon, native also coached Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart as an assistant on Team USA at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Wojnarowski confirmed Wednesday what Stadium’s Jeff Goodman reported earlier in the week on NBC Sports Boston: that Udoka had the support of C’s players during the interview process.
Udoka will take the place of Stevens, who is now Boston’s president of basketball operations after eight seasons as head coach.