Ime Udoka, who cheated on Nia Long, once failed to hold his own with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant

Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was once unable to extend his 10-day contract with the 2003-04 Lakers who had Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

On June 28, 2021, Ime Udoka was selected as the head coach of the Boston Celtics, filling the vacancy left by Brad Stevens. After being an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, Udoka landed his first head coaching job last year.

In his tenure, he led the Celtics to have the highest-rated defense in the league and led them to the NBA Finals. They were outscored by the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, but it was an incredible run for the group of young Celtics. It had been a tremendous season for the rookie head coach.

However, yesterday we received reports about Udoka that he might be suspended. Shams Charania of The Athletic later clarified further and revealed that Ime was cheating on her partner Nia Long and was having an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member.

Celtics coach Ime Udoka had an inappropriate consensual and intimate relationship with a member of the team’s staff, sources say. @ElAthletic @Stadium. It has been considered a violation of the franchise’s code of conduct.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2022

Also read: Who is Nia Long? Ime Udoka’s Fiance Comes Out Amid Cheating Scandals

Ime Udoka failed to secure a contract with the Lakers in 2003-04

Udoka began his playing career in 2002, when he was drafted into the NBA D League (now G-League). After a season and a half in the D League, Udoka thought he had gotten the breakthrough from him when he was called up by the Los Angeles Lakers. Due to Kobe Bryant’s injury, Ime Udoka was called up and given a 10-day contract. In that time frame, Ime played four games for Purple and Gold.

A Lakers team packed with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton struggled to find a spot on the roster. Ime was cut after his initial 10-day contract. Former Lakers assistant coach Jim Cleamons spoke about the same thing, saying:

“We enjoyed Ime and we liked it very much. He was competitive and understanding. The only problem was that most of the guys were on guaranteed contracts. It’s a numbers game. . . . We as a staff loved their competitiveness. The heart of him. The character of him. I’m sorry we weren’t able to hold him.”

Udoka bounced around the leagues for a while, before signing a 10-day deal with the Knicks. However, that didn’t work out so well. Finally, he found a home in Portland and then in San Antonio.

While his playing career was not filled with shining moments, his training had already begun to make up for it. It remains to be seen how long Udoka will be suspended for and what action the franchise will take against him.

Also Read: 51-Year-Old Actress Nia Long Shares Cryptic Post After Ime Udoka Cheating Scandal Is Uncovered