Joe Mazzulla is given the Boston Celtics head coach role full time after being in charge on an interim basis since Ime Udoka was suspended for affair with team staffer – with franchise leading the way in the East
Joe Mazzulla was officially the Boston Celtics head coach on Thursday morning after a strong season with the Eastern Conference leaders.
Mazzulla was named the interim coach following Ime Udoka’s suspension for violating organizational policies.Â
Under Mazzulla’s tenure, the Celtics have gone 42-17. Prior to his interim ascension, Mazzulla was an assistant for Boston since 2019.Â
The Celtics released a statement following the permanent appointment of Mazzulla, making him the 19th head coach in the franchise’s storied history.Â
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‘Mazzulla replaces Ime Udoka,’ the statement read.Â
Joe Mazzulla was officially the Boston Celtics head coach on Thursday after a strong season
Ime Udoka has been officially replaced as the C’s head coach following an affair with a staffer
‘He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission,’ President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens said.Â
Udoka was sensationally suspended from his post after ushering the C’s into the most recent NBA Finals after he had an affair with another member of the Boston staff.
The scandal broke in September, beginning with reports of Udoka’s imminent suspension. The Athletic then reported that the coach made ‘unwanted’ comments to the woman with whom he had an affair.Â
Mazzulla then was named the interim head coach on September 22. In recognition of his stellar season, the first-time head coach was named to the role for Team Giannis at this month’s NBA All-Star Game this month in Salt Lake City.
In his first season as a head coach, Udoka amassed a 51-31 record and guided 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 to the Golden State Warriors in six games.Â
Boston have shone under the leadership of Joe Mazzulla, and presently lead in the East
Udoka issued his own statement following his suspension in September: ‘I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down.’
The woman with whom Udoka is accused of having an affair served as a team liaison arranging travel, lodging and game tickets for Celtics family members at home and on the road.
Udoka was rumored to be a candidate for the vacant Nets job after Steve Nash was dismissed earlier this season, but Brooklyn ultimately promoted assistant Jacque Vaughn to head coach.Â
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was fittingly named as the All-Star coach for Team Giannis
