The crew added {that a} choice on Udoka’s future with the Celtics will probably be made at a later date. His suspension was efficient instantly.
In response to ESPN, The Athletic and the Boston Globe, Udoka had a consensual relationship with a feminine member of the crew’s employees.
“I’m sorry for placing the crew on this tough state of affairs, and I settle for the crew’s choice,” Udoka mentioned to ESPN in a press release through which he apologized to the gamers, followers, group and his household.
CNN has reached out to the Celtics for additional remark.
On Friday, Celtics proprietor Wycliffe “Wyc” Grousbeck and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens spoke with the media to debate Udoka’s suspension.
Grousbeck defined that the choice to suspended Udoka was taken after the group introduced in a “revered regulation agency to conduct an neutral investigation” having realized in regards to the allegations over the summer time.
Grousbeck mentioned he felt the season-long suspension — which is able to include a “important monetary penalty,” in response to the proprietor — is “well-warranted and applicable and backed by substantial analysis and information.”
He added: “Ime has personally informed me in a non-public dialog, simply the overall theme was — I would say — acceptance and appreciation for the way this has been dealt with.”
Grousbeck additionally defined that the gamers are “very involved” after discussions with them. “It isn’t a welcome growth, however additionally they have, I felt, power, focus, dedication and drive to actually accomplish nice issues this season.”
Stevens choked up when speaking in regards to the influence the information has had on girls within the group, saying: “We now have loads of proficient girls in our group.
“I assumed yesterday was actually onerous on them. No one can management Twitter hypothesis — rampant bulls**t. We as a corporation have a duty to verify we assist them now as a result of lots of people have been dragged unfairly.”
Gary Washburn, nationwide basketball author for the Boston Globe, informed John Berman and Brianna Keilar on CNN’s New Day that Udoka could by no means coach the Celtics once more.
“This might have been one thing that was in his contract,” Washburn mentioned. “, ‘You are not capable of have relationships with members of the organizations, particularly those that are below you.’ So, sadly, for coach Udoka, he broke these legal guidelines, broke these guidelines and now he is not out of a job, however he is as near out of a job as he can get.
“He’ll be suspended for a yr and the group didn’t promise he’ll be again in 2023-24. They mentioned they will overview it then, so he could by no means coach the Boston Celtics once more.”
The Celtics begin their season on October 18 in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers on the TD Backyard in Boston. NBA coaching camps open subsequent week with the primary preseason video games scheduled for per week from Friday.
CNN’s Jacob Lev and Homero De la Fuente contributed to this report.