Former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka has a new job.
Udoka has agreed to a deal to become the next head coach of the Houston Rockets, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The hiring marks Udoka’s first coaching job in the league since his season-long suspension that led to him parting ways with the Celtics.
The 45-year-old Udoka will replace Stephen Silas in Houston after the Rockets parted ways with the 49-year-old earlier this month. Silas spent three seasons with the Rockets, where they went 59-177 over the course of his time there.
Forsberg: Game 4 was proof that Time Lord changes Celtics' ceiling
Udoka was suspended by the Celtics just before the 2022-23 season after he violated the team's policies due to an inappropriate relationship with a member of the organization. In his lone season with the Celtics in 2021-22, Udoka guided Boston to a 51-31 record and an NBA Finals appearance.
Udoka was linked to being the Toronto Raptors head coach after the team fired Nick Nurse last week, and he was also in the running for the Atlanta Hawks’ vacancy earlier this year. But now, Udoka will look to start fresh in Houston for 2023-24 and onwards.