Former Cleveland Cavaliers forward Richard Jefferson commented in a series of tweets on the likely suspension of Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka for a relationship with a female team staffer.
Ask yourself if it’s consensual then why the suspension and the length!!! 🤔
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) September 22, 2022
So once you understand it’s 100% consensual from both parties… WHY IS THERE SUCH A LONG SUSPENSION? I repeat … 100% consensual!
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) September 22, 2022
Jefferson’s confusion on the suspension is because the expected length will be a full year when the final decision is made. According to the previous information offered, Udoka’s relationship with the staffer was consensual.
However, Udoka apparently violated the Celtics’ code of conduct with the relationship.
Celtics coach Ime Udoka had an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. It’s been deemed a violation of franchise’s code of conduct.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2022
The news comes less than a week before the Celtics open their training camp for the 2022-23 season. Prior to this news, the team was seeking to get back to the finals, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors three months ago.
Udoka took over the head coaching reins of the Celtics only a year ago after Brad Stevens moved from those duties to become president of basketball operations.
The deep playoff run by the Celtics came about after the team was under .500 after a Jan. 21 loss. From that point, the Celtics closed the regular season strong by winning 28 of their final 35 games.
Continuing that momentum in the postseason, the Celtics swept the Brooklyn Nets in four games before winning back-to-back seven-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, respectively.
Jefferson has been retired since the end of the 2017-18 season, though he’s remained close to the game. He currently serves as an NBA analyst on the different platforms of ESPN and appears on a number of the network’s different shows.
The Cavaliers’ portion of Jefferson’s career lasted only two seasons, but he forever became a part of their legacy by being a part of the iconic 2016 NBA championship squad. Originally, he announced his retirement after the Cavs won that title before reconsidering.
Currently, there’s no timeline as to when a decision on Udoka’s fate will be made, though given the timing, it doesn’t figure to take too long.
