BREAKING: Rockets To Hire Former Celtics Coach Ime Udoka
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets have hired Ime Udoka as their new head coach, as first reported by The Athletic.
Udoka spent one season at the helm in Boston, where he helped the Celtics reach the 2022 NBA Finals. He was suspended by the Celtics before the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies.
A blown 25-point lead to the New York Knicks on Jan. 6, 2022, had the Celtics' season in an abyss. The Celtics were three games under .500 (18-21), and it appeared Boston had declined under first-year coach Ime Udoka.
But instead of accepting the Celtics' fate as a non-playoff team, Udoka fueled his team with in-season adjustments and meetings to help save the 2021-22 campaign. The Celtics finished the regular season 33-10. And a successful post-season run led to Boston falling in six games to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals.
Udoka orchestrated one of the greatest in-season turnarounds in league history and established himself as one of the NBA's most prominent coaches.
Udoka became the 16th coach in franchise history following the jettison of Stephen Silas on April 10. Former Los Angeles Lakers' coach Frank Vogel was the font-runner for the Rockets vacancy prior to Udoka's hiring.
"We thought it was time for a new voice," general manager Rafael Stone said. "It was much more about exiting one stage, entering another and [finding] the optimal way to move forward.
"I think we want somebody who has a real vision for how to implement our young guys, how to incorporate some veterans — who for sure we're going to add this summer."
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