Ex-Celtics coach Ime Udoka becomes ‘one of the highest-paid’ NBA coaches with new Rockets deal
Udoka's new deal is reportedly worth at least $10 million per year.
Former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is staying with the Rockets after signing a long term extension.
The complete financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, but according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, it will make Udoka “one of the highest-paid NBA coaches.”
“This is an eight-figure deal, annually, I’m told,” Charania said during a recent appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show.
“You think about Tillman and Patrick Fertitta, rockets ownership, [and] their general manager Rafael Stone. They went out and hired Ime Udoka in 2023 when we know he got suspended from the Celtics. They ended up parting ways essentially. They scooped him up fast, they got him, and obviously he’s a championship caliber coach already. He showed it in Boston.”
Udoka coached the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance in 2022, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors. He was later suspended for the entire 2023 season for multiple violations of team policies. Joe Mazzulla was named interim coach, and Mazzulla’s interim tag was removed later on in the season.
The Rockets hired Udoka in April of 2023. Houston went 41-41 and missed the playoffs after an 11th-place finish in the Western Conference during Udoka’s first season. This season, the Rockets were the No. 2 seed in the West after substantial improvement. They won 52 games during the regular season, but fell to Golden State in the first round of the playoffs.
According to ESPN, the Knicks were interested in hiring Udoka for their vacant head coach position after firing Tom Thibodeau. Houston denied New York’s request to interview Udoka and signed him to a long-term deal.
The Rockets are rich with young talent. Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Alpren Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. are all 23 or younger. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks have been key veteran pieces.
As the Rockets look to continue their ascent, they’ve reportedly decided to keep Udoka around for a while.
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