
Ime Udoka Considered Frontrunner for Toronto Raptors Head Coaching Position After Firing of Nick Nurse
Ime Udoka Considered Frontrunner for Toronto Raptors Head Coaching Position After Firing of Nick Nurse
Now that the regular NBA season is over and the playoffs have started, teams in the league are looking at what went wrong and how it can be corrected leading up to the next season. The Toronto Raptors started early by firing the head coach of the franchise. And with the personnel move, a controversial head coach may be up next to head the Toronto team.
According to ESPN, the Raptors terminated their head coach, Nick Nurse on Friday. With the firing has also come whispers of former Boston Celtics head coach, Ime Udoka emerging as a candidate to replace Nurse as the coach.
Noted NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski sent out a tweet stating that Udoka is expected to be seriously considered to take the place of Nurse.
“Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is expected to be a serious candidate to replace Nurse, sources tell ESPN.”
Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is expected to be a serious candidate to replace Nurse, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/L15nmpkxVo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2023
Reportedly, Udoka has an in, based on a long relationship with Raptors team president Masai Ujiri. Sources have stated that the former Celtics coach will play a prominent part in the Raptors’ coaching search.
Udoka was suspended last year right before the 2022-23 season started. He was accused of violating multiple team rules. He received a lengthy suspension as punishment for allegedly having an intimate, but consensual, relationship with a female Celtics staffer. He was still an employee since the team didn’t terminate him. But, in February, his time with the team was finalized when the Boston Celtics, who promoted Joe Mazzulla as interim head coach to replace him, gave him the permanent coaching position back in February.
He officially became a free agent with that hire.
After replacing head coach Brad Stevens who became the Celtics’ president of basketball operations, Udoka became the fifth head coach in the last 25 years to take his team to the NBA Finals in his first season as head coach.
When the Brooklyn Nets parted ways with their head coach Steve Nash during the season last year, Udoka instantly became the frontrunner to replace him. But, reportedly, the league discouraged the franchise to hire him and they went on to hire Jacque Vaughn.
Ime Udoka Considered Frontrunner for Toronto Raptors Head Coaching Position After Firing of Nick Nurse