Ime Udoka has the perfect resume. The ex-NBA forward learned how to coach under Gregg Popovich and blossomed as an assistant this season with the Brooklyn Nets. He comes to the Celtics with a championship ring, and has never missed the playoffs since moving to the sidelines.
But none of that really matters. The most important points in Udoka's favor are his apparent tight relationships with the Celtics' two rising stars: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says they lobbied for his hiring, along with Marcus Smart.
That's all I need to hear. Though Tatum is only 23 years old, he holds the fate of the Celtics' franchise in his impressionable hands. If he wanted Master P, then it would be time to make 'em say uhh!
But thankfully, Tatum apparently wants Udoka, who comes with a sterling track record and string of endorsements. For starters, he coached Tatum, Brown and Smart on Team USA a couple of years back, developing bonds with all three.
"Udoka separated himself quickly in Brad Stevens' search process, including significant support from Celtics players who were impressed with Udoka after working under him with Team USA in the World's," Woj tweeted.
People around the NBA seemingly hold Udoka in high esteem. Another coach told Jeff Goodman Udoka "listens and adjusts," and "has an edge, but he's not a hard-ass."
Rudy Gay backed up that assessment in a separate conversation with Goodman. "He's got the perfect balance," Gay said. "He'll laugh and joke, but knows how to be serious. A lot of assistants tell you what you want to hear. Ime will give it straight to you."
It's obvious the Celtics were broken last season. There was turmoil, unprofessionalism and many bad losses. At the end, several Celtics players wanted Brad Stevens to step aside, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Stevens all but confirmed his struggles during his first press conference as president of basketball operations, saying he thought the team would benefit from a fresh voice.
During that horrid playoff series against the Nets, players on the Celtics appeared to like Kyrie Irving more than their own organization. The only players who ripped Irving for stepping on the logo last played on the parquet years ago.
That's a big problem. Weiss also reports a Celtics player dissuaded Blake Griffin from signing here, which is the exact opposite of how a player should feel about his team.
The Celtics are only going to be competitive for as long as Tatum is happy. It is all over the moment he wants to play with Kevin Durant. So, you better ensure that doesn't happen.
It's becoming more routine for NBA stars to demand trades early in their contracts, and as a result, teams must acquiesce to their every whim. Zion Williamson can't even legally drink yet. But he got Stan Van Gundy fired.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, by the way. The players should wield the power, because they are the entire show. It would collapse if they weren't around.
And they realize it. Playing basketball inside of a bubble during a global pandemic has a way of awakening people.
With that in mind, Tatum just signing his super max extension doesn't offer the Celtics any security. Damian Lillard, who also just signed a super max deal, posted a cryptic message on Instagram after the Trail Blazers' latest playoff loss.
Now it's assumed he's on the market, even though his $140 million deal doesn't even start until next season.
Udoka's top priority is reaching Tatum and Brown. If he can accomplish that, then this miserably season could just be an anomaly. After all, this core has been to three Eastern Conference Finals in five years, as they occasionally remind us.
To get back there, Udoka must repair the team's ruptured culture. Having the backing of its two All-Stars is a good way to start.
