It's the story of an irresistible rise over a season which had all the makings of a success story with the Celtics, and which suddenly came to an end after a year. Suspended for one year before the start of the 2022-2023 season for violating the franchise's internal regulations (for having had an extra-marital relationship with an employee of the franchise), Ime Udoka ended up packing his bags, heading to Houston, where he was asked to launch a new phase of an ambitious project.
Suffice to say that he will be the center of attention this evening during the meeting between Boston and Houston for his very first return to TD Garden, in the opposite camp this time. The Rockets coach will inevitably feel mixed emotions, he who has never denied the journey accomplished with the Celtics in 2021-2022 for his first year as head coach. He had formed very strong bonds with the group. On the other hand, he will also have the opportunity to show that he has indeed turned the page and that he is 200% invested in a motivating project with the Rockets.
Ime Udoka linked with his Celtics forever
Nearly a month ago, he had already mentioned the quality of the relationship established with the hard core of Boston players at the time, including Marcus Smart, who now plays in Memphis. So much so that the leader did not hesitate to invite his former coach to his wedding last September. More than a year after his last game coached in the Celtics suit, their relationship remained intact.
“My Celtics players contact me to tell me how proud they are of what we do and vice versa. I also see what they do”, had declared Ime Udoka. “The most important thing is that we have only had one season and we have built such great relationships. I will talk to some of them for the rest of my life. So there's a close connection and you think about what could have happened, and you also realize the impact you've had and the relationships you'll continue to have in the future.”
Even since his departure for Houston and the start of a new adventure for him, the coach and his former players have kept the same closeness, until the season starts and everyone takes care of their own business.
“We spoke regularly, with each of them”he added. “During last season, they would check in on me whenever they could. Obviously we talked at the beginning, then I gave them the space to do what they needed to do, and they did the same. But I found quite a few of them in the offseason during Marcus Smart’s wedding in LA.”
After a busy playing career and nearly ten years learning the trade as an assistant in the NBA, including seven at Spurs from 2012 to 2019, Ime Udoka also confided having suffered from the distance from the fields and the atmosphere in the locker room during his suspension, reminding us that the most important thing remained the relationships he could build with the players.
“I missed everyday life with the guys. Obviously, it's all about the players. Once you play, it really feels like the day-to-day relationships and camaraderie and bonding with the guys. I don't think it changes much when you become a coach.”he continued. “I think most coaches would say, 'The blackboard is good, playing the games is good, but being with the guys and the relationships you create with them is probably what' there is more important. »
A memorable coach for the players who worked with him
It was this proximity in particular that contributed to his strength during his first season in Boston. As Marcus Smart confirmed: “Ime was playful. As a former player, he understands a lot of things we go through as players. That connection only gets stronger when you can talk to someone who knows that as a coach or understands what you might be going through.”
Jeff Green, who signed as a free agent in Houston this summer, was able to deliver a similar speech after working alongside Ime Udoka in Brooklyn during the 2020-2021 season. This is why position 4 made the “surprising” choice to leave the reigning champion to join him at the Rockets.
“For the relationship I had with him in Brooklyn, knowing his coaching style and watching him in Boston during that season, the way he could move a group forward,” he said to discuss the reasons for his choice. “He’s direct, which I like. He also puts his players in a position to succeed and gets the best out of them. It’s great to be able to witness that and be a part of it.”
Houston, a project designed for him
However, water has flowed under the bridge since his departure from Massachusetts, and Ime Udoka has managed to fully turn the page by now focusing on Houston and this superb project, between young players like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr, and the rookie Amen Thompson to improve, and the support of choice executives like Fred VanVleet or Dillon Brooks to improve the whole.
In addition to giving him a chance to excel in his profession, Houston offered him a most exciting challenge, with the responsibility of taking this group as high as possible. Playable on paper, even if adversity and competition will also be there.
“I see the potential, of course, but it has to be transformed into something realistic”noted Ime Udoka. “There was a combination of young talent and free agents that we had to recruit, and the franchise tried to reach what they call phase 2 of their project. They are hungry for victory and want change. What I wanted was very different from what they had here before. We wanted to provide structure, a sense of responsibility, all the things they ask for. With the mix of young people and veterans, I saw the potential there. Now I would say they are much quicker to understand what we are trying to do. This happened quite quickly. But we must recognize that effort has never been a problem. It was never about not playing hard and being competitive. I saw it from day one, even during summer training. So that boded well for what we wanted to do in the future. Now we have the opportunity to make linear progress and improve. When you look at our track record, it may surprise some people. But we have a competitive group.”
As for tonight's match, Ime Udoka will try to stay in the present moment, namely allow the Rockets to maintain a positive record, and why not be the first team of the season to bring down Boston at TD Garden ?
“We can think for a minute about how the return will go. But overall, that's not what concerns me the most.”he concluded.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Alperen Sengun | 36 | 32.3 | 54.0 | 28.6 | 72.1 | 2.6 | 6.4 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 21.6 |
| Fred Vanvleet | 35 | 37.4 | 40.4 | 39.4 | 87.3 | 0.3 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 8.5 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 17.6 |
| Jalen Green | 36 | 30.4 | 40.3 | 34.6 | 79.5 | 0.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 17.3 |
| Dillon Brooks | 28 | 30.9 | 47.6 | 40.8 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 13.6 |
| Jabari Smith, Jr. | 35 | 31.3 | 47.4 | 38.8 | 82.5 | 1.9 | 6.9 | 8.8 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 13.4 |
| Tari Eason | 22 | 21.8 | 46.6 | 36.0 | 63.6 | 2.1 | 4.9 | 7.0 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 9.8 |
| Cam Whitmore | 13 | 12.8 | 53.7 | 42.4 | 66.7 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 8.9 |
| Aaron Holiday | 34 | 18.0 | 43.6 | 41.1 | 91.7 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 6.9 |
| Jeff Green | 35 | 16.5 | 54.5 | 30.2 | 81.5 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 6.7 |
| Amen Thompson | 17 | 15.5 | 42.7 | 15.4 | 61.3 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 5.5 |
| Jae'sean Tate | 34 | 19.4 | 48.9 | 32.1 | 71.4 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 5.2 |
| Nate Williams, Jr. | 4 | 5.4 | 54.5 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 3.3 |
| Boban Marjanovic | 5 | 6.1 | 42.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 2.4 |
| Nathaniel Hinton | 5 | 5.3 | 44.4 | 80.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
| Reggie Bullock | 15 | 8.6 | 38.7 | 36.4 | 100.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| Jermaine Samuels | 6 | 6.3 | 71.4 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Jock Landale | 21 | 8.7 | 34.9 | 14.3 | 80.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.9 |
