Live stream will be available after this brief ad from our sponsors
Local SportsContestsEvents

Nets to Likely Hire Controversial Udoka as Head Coach

Less than 24 hours after parting ways with head coach Steve Nash, the Brooklyn Nets are moving quickly to find his successor. The Nets are closing to hiring suspended Boston…

Ime Udoka

Boston – June 16: Celtics head coach Ime Udoka (left) did not agree with a referee (right) in the second quarter. The Boston Celtics hosted the Golden State Warriors for Game Six of the NBA Finals at the TD Garden in Boston on June 17, 2022. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Less than 24 hours after parting ways with head coach Steve Nash, the Brooklyn Nets are moving quickly to find his successor. The Nets are closing to hiring suspended Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka as its head coach.

Jaquce Vaughn served as Nets interim coach for Tuesday night's 108-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Udoka comes with plenty of baggage. According to a report from ESPN, "Boston suspended Udoka for the 2022-23 season for an improper relationship with a subordinate before training camp, but sources say the Celtics never planned to stand in the way of Udoka accepting another coaching job.

"The independent law firm probe into Udoka found that he used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate before the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman, an element that significantly factored into the severity of his suspension."

The Nets have been conducting a vetting process around Udoka.

The news comes at a time of great public angst for the Nets who are dealing with the blowback from Kyrie Irving's social media posts that allegedly promote a controversial movie full of antisemitic tropes.  Protesters were seen at Barclays Center on Monday night wearing t-shirts that read "Fight antisemitism."

Irving hasn't spoken to the media since Saturday, nor has he issued an apology.

Many have called out the Nets and the NBA for not taking swift punishment to Irving for his posts.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.