Boston Celtics hire former Portland Trail Blazers wing Ime Udoka

One of the seven NBA teams looking for their next coach has filled the position. The Boston Celtics have hired former Portland Trail Blazers wing Ime Udoka.

There are reports from various sources and first reported by ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

Udoka played in the NBA eight seasons, including 75 games in the 2006-2007 season for the Blazers. The 43-year-old Udoka was on the roster of the Lakers for four games in 2003-2004, eight games for the Knicks during the 2005-2006 season, 73 games with the Spurs in 2007-2008, as well as 67 with San Antonio in 2008-2009, 69 with the Kings in 2009-2010 and back on the Spurs’ roster for 20 in 2010-2011 and retiring from the NBA after.

Before going undrafted in 2000, Udoka played college basketball at San Francisco University for the Dons (1997-1998) and returning to his hometown of Portland to play for the Portland State Vikings (1999-2000). He attended High School at Portland’s Jefferson.

Since retiring as a player, Udoka has been on the bench as an assistant coach, starting with Greg Popovich and the Spurs, where he was part of a championship (2014) from 2012-2019, Brett Brown’s 76ers during the 2019-2020 season, and Steve Nash‘s Brooklyn Nets this past season, and now is a first-time head coach with Boston. He replaces Brad Stevens, who was recently promoted to the Celtics President of Basketball Operations.

Ime is married to actress Nia Long, who has starred in numerous movies over the years, including, Big Momma’s House, Big Momma’s House 2, Are We There Yet?, parts of which were filmed in Portland.

Now that the first hire has been made, could the next head coach of a team looking to hire be making an announcement before long? Could that team be the Blazers? If they were considering or looking at Udoka, he is now no longer available.