This article first appeared on The Athletic.com

 

Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka had an intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team’s staff, sources told The Athletic on Wednesday.

 

Udoka has now been suspended for one season by the Celtics.

Udoka, 45, was heading into his second season at the helm in Boston after taking over for Brad Stevens, who became president of basketball operations.

 

The Celtics went 51-31 in the regular season last year and made it to the NBA Finals. Udoka was previously an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.

 

Prior to coaching, he had a professional playing career that included time in the NBA and overseas.

Joe Mazzulla has been promoted to the role of interim head coach for the upcoming season. 

 

Mazzulla, 34, has been a rising name in coaching ranks for some time, the only full assistant on Brad Stevens’ staff that stayed on for Udoka’s regime (Player development coach Tony Dobbins was also promoted to assistant.) He was a surprise finalist for the Jazz job, a rare feat for someone who isn’t even a front bench assistant.

 

But Mazzulla is well-respected for his game-planning on both sides of the ball and has the kind of understated but steady demeanor that has defined Stevens and Udoka’s tenures.