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Ime Udoka’s alleged affair with a Boston Celtics aide is not a matter for the public, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said Thursday, adding that the team’s handling of his reported impending suspension reveals a racial double standard.
Udoka, who led Boston to the NBA Finals in his first year with the club last season, faces a likely one-year suspension for a consensual but inappropriate affair with an yet-to-be-identified female member of the team’s staff. according to ESPN and the athletic.
“I have news for you America: There are plenty of white people in professional sports doing their thing,” Smith said in response to the news about Udoka, who is African American. ‘And I’m not saying that for free. I don’t see the information about them.
‘[I] I can’t count the degree of fraternization, or dare I say more, that happens in pretty much every organization in NBA, NFL and MLB – people come together, they work together, things like that happen all the time.”
Smith also questioned the choice to leak information about a private affair between two consenting adults.
“Why are we talking about this now?” Smith asked rhetorically. “We need to talk about it because it’s the news. It’s none of our damn business unless you fire him.’
Ime Udoka’s alleged affair with a Boston Celtics employee is not a matter for the public, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said Thursday, adding that the team’s handling of its reported impending suspension reveals a racial double standard.
Udoka is engaged to actress Nia Long, who gave birth to the couple’s son in 2015
What if the Celtics don’t fire him?
“But if you keep him, it’s none of our business,” Smith continued, blaming the Celtics for the leaked news about Udoka. “It should never have been brought out by the Celtics organization – and don’t tell me you didn’t. Because you absolutely did – because news reporters did. So it came from Boston. There isn’t anybody in LA or Utah or anything leaking this stuff about the Boston Celtics. This is on all of you. It shouldn’t have been here. That’s what I have to say.’
Smith is not the only media personality to target Boston as he is reportedly preparing a one-year suspension for Udoka. Veteran sportswriter Howard Bryant referred to former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson’s longstanding romantic relationship with co-owner Jeanie Buss, who are both white.
“I don’t know what will come of the Celtics, or the degree of impropriety (if any),” Bryant tweeted. “Maybe it’s something. Maybe it’s nothing. I’m just glad Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss kept it professional.”
Buss and Jackson split in 2016 while he was working for the New York Knicks.
Smith is not the only media personality to target Boston as he is reportedly preparing a one-year suspension for Udoka. Veteran sportswriter Howard Bryant referred to former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson’s longstanding romantic relationship with co-owner Jeanie Buss, who are both white
Buss (right) and Jackson (left) split in 2016 while he was working for the New York Knicks
Udoka has been engaged to actress Nia Long for years and the couple have a son together, but Bally Sports has reported that the couple is believed to have already split up. It remains exactly when their relationship ended.
Smith had some criticism of Udoka on Thursday.
“This is a stupid, stupid situation he’s in,” Smith said. “There’s no excuse for him to be in this position.”
Spokespersons for the team did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
Udoka’s top assistant, Will Hardy, left Boston to become head coach of the Utah Jazz, leaving current Celtics assistant Joe Mazulla as interim coach before Udoka’s suspension, according to ESPN. Sure, Stevens has experience coaching the team, but it’s unclear if he’s willing to return to the bench after moving to the front office.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix has also named former Lakers and Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel as another potential interim coach.
According to Bally Sports’ Brandon Robinson ‘the couple were believed to have separated prior to the current issue’
He may be considering resigning, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reports
The Celtics are holding a media day on Monday before opening training camp on Tuesday. Their first preseason game is at home against the Charlotte Hornets on October 2. Boston opens their regular season at home against the 76ers on October 18.
Udoka was named head coach of the Boston Celtics at the start of the 2021-22 season after former head coach Brad Stevens was promoted to president of Basketball Operations.
In his first season as head coach, Udoka racked up a 51-31 record and led the Celtics to a regular-season Atlantic Division title.
Udoka then helped lead Boston all the way to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. There, they fell in six games for the Golden State Warriors.
Before coaching the Celtics, Udoka was an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs under head coach Gregg Popovich for eight seasons, helping them win an NBA title in 2014.
Udoka left San Antonio in 2019 and moved to the Philadelphia 76ers. The following season, he became an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets.
He was subsequently hired as the head coach of the Celtics, becoming the fifth black head coach in the team’s history.
A native of Portland, Udoka played in Portland State for the career of a journeyman that took him from low-level independent leagues to Europe and eventually the NBA, where he bankrolled with the Spurs. He also had brief stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.
Udoka’s top assistant, Will Hardy (right), left Boston to become head coach of the Utah Jazz, making current Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla (left) a potential substitute for Boston if Udoka is suspended for a significant amount of time, according to ESPN