Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka has been suspended for the entire 2022–23 NBA season
The GIST: It was the Woj-bomb heard ’round the world. The Boston Celtics suspended second-year head coach Ime Udoka for the entire 2022–23 NBA season yesterday amid reports that he had an intimate, consensual relationship with a woman on the Celtics’ staff.
The on-court impact: Udoka snapped the Celtics’ 11-year NBA Finals drought in his first season at the helm. He was also the first rookie coach to win multiple Game 7s. Needless to say, his absence will have a major impact on a Boston team many pegged to contend for a title this season.
Zooming out: With news leaked and rampant speculation, the handling of this situation has rightfully come under fire. Plus, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Udoka was issued a year-long suspension for a consensual affair, while the NFL’s Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was suspended a mere 11 games (out of 17 in a season) after he was accused by two dozen women of sexual assault. Let that sink in.
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