Joe Mazzulla rose to fame when he broke the curse by making Jayson Tatum & Co., the ultimate champions this year. But before him, Ime Udoka, current Houston Rockets coach, made it almost possible in 2022. The former NBA player joined the Celtics fold ahead of the 2021-22 season. The team finished 2nd in the East and fell short in the Finals against the Warriors. However, Udoka’s Celtics stint came to an end after that season. Why? It’s because of controversial reasons that altered his personal life. Let’s find out more in detail.

The Nigerian-American came into the league in 2004, representing the Lakers, but was short-lived, as he played only four games. Following that, his career extended until 2011, playing for multiple franchises like the Knicks, Spurs, Trail Blazers, and Kings. While he didn’t have much effect as a player in the league, he tried his luck in the coaching department. It worked out well for him, as he won a Champion ring as an assistant coach in 2014.

Ime Udoka started his coaching stint, assisting Greg Popovich in 2012. He served there until jumped to the Sixers and Brooklyn in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The star coach’s first big break came when he donned the head coach hat for the Celtics. Ironically, it came down thick and fast in his very first season after he breached the team’s policy. According to former ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics hired an independent law firm to investigate Udoka’s intimate affair with a support staff.

In response to the investigation, the Boston Celtics management suspended him for an entire season (2022-23). Right then, Joe Mazzulla picked up the mantle. Moreover, Wojnarowski added Udoka will have a “difficult pathway” to reclaim his coaching job. Guess what? He not only lost his job, but the affair ended his 13-year-long relationship.

What happened to Ime Udoka’s personal life after the Celtics’ controversy?

The controversy forced the star coach to part ways with his ex-fiance, Nia Long, after a decade-long relationship. The Fatal Affair fame actress met Udoka through a friend in 2010 while he was playing for the Sacramento Kings. Notably, the couple also gave birth to their son, Kez, in 2011 and they got engaged in 2015. However, the devastating news from 2022 made Long call off the engagement.

Most importantly, the situation immensely affected Nia Long, given the nature of the issue – a public break-up. Speaking about it, Long said, “I had a really public breakup recently… It was a wake-up call for me in the sense of like, ‘OK, you’re going to do this on your own and you’re going to be fine and you’re not going to worry about what anyone thinks and has to say.” Moreover, she confessed a shocking information, saying, “The relationship was rocky for a very long time… I don’t believe another person can break anyone up.”

Nevertheless, the actress moved on from the misery, adding, “I think my older son saw me trying to keep the family together. But I had to come to a place where loving myself was bigger and more important than saving anybody.” Kez, their only son, seemed to have found a tough spot.

Following the debacle, the couple reached a common boundary in the custody battle. Ime Udoka and Long will have joint custody of Kez where the son will live 95% of the time with his 54-year-old mother meanwhile, the 47-year-old will pay a $32,500 monthly child allowance and live with him for 5% of the time. Moreover, Udoka, who didn’t speak much about the controversy, released a statement, saying, “I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down… I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision.”

Is Ime Udoka married now?

It has been two years since the controversy blew up. Ime Udoka wasn’t married to Nia Long then and, with the available information on the internet, Udoka is most probably single currently. Speaking of the controversy after he took over the Rockets coaching job, he added to have worked on himself.

“I spent this last offseason working on myself in a lot of different ways, improving in areas, and it gave me a chance to sit back, reflect, and grow… And I think that’ll make me a better coach and overall a better leader,” said Udoka during his introductory press meet as a Rockets coach. He has certainly done a decent job with the Rockets, producing a 22-game winning streak in the late end of the season. They almost found a spot in the 2024 postseason.

In the ongoing season, the team has gone off to a decent start winning four of their seven matchups. The rise of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson will definitely help Udoka find a spot in the postseason this season. Will the Rockets make it to the playoffs this season? Let us know in the comments below.