Ime Udoka is a highly sought-after coach in the NBA. He had to fight tooth and nail to realize his dream of an NBA career. But when he finally made it to what was going to be the start of his NBA run, his father’s death overshadowed it. Ime fought through the pain, using it to push himself. That caught the eye of the then-Blazers coach, McMillan, and the rest is history.

Now, as a coach, he uses the same determination and no-mercy approach to shape up championship teams and gritty players. That must be the reason the ex-Knicks star chose Udoka as a potential candidate for the ultimate reward.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka bags support from ex-Knicks star

With the NBA season awards coming up, everyone’s stocked! And that warrants predictions. In a recent episode by Knuckleheads Podcast with Amar’e Stoudemire, the co-host, Quentin Richardson is all for the new Houston coach. “I’mma go Ime Udoka. He turn them young boys around and get Houston, cuz they got a lot of talent, a lot of pieces down there .”

The Knicks got their hands on Quentin Richardson when they were at one of their low points. His arrival definitely served the purpose of a needed push into the championship.

Going back to Ime Udoka, he was a favorite of many players and coaches alike. From college basketball to short-term games in different teams, he made an impact wherever he went. In the 2005-06 season, Udoka earned the Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award in the NBA D-League. The award is given to “a player who best represents the ideals of character and conduct on the court”. Regrettably, the ideals that got him the award didn’t rescue him during the Celtics issue.

Udoka and his brief stint with the Celtics

The Celtics had high hopes when hiring Udoka as their coach. And the trust wasn’t misplaced, at least regarding the man’s coaching capability. But, his attention is not what it used to be. When he was a hot-blooded young man, the one and only goal he had was the NBA.

Maybe he is making it up for all the days he lost as a teenager. Because there is no other explanation for the stunt that cost him an entire year. In September 2022, he was suspended following an improper workplace relationship with a female staff. As reported by Wojnarowski of ESPN, he “had an intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise’s staff.” Though it tarnished his image to a degree and hurt his family, Udoka’s skills as a coach were still valued with the utmost respect.

And that’s why the Houston Rockets grabbed him when the opportunity knocked at their door. There’s no doubt that Stone landed the biggest deal with Udoka. The Rockets are the perfect team with a young core for Ime Udoka to do his magic.

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Hopefully, he is in this for a longer haul. What do you think? Will Houston become the center of another scandal?