Staff Coming Together
New Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is building himself quite the impressive coaching staff.
Udoka’s first reported hire was Will Hardy. A long term Spurs assistant that has interviewed for NBA head coaching jobs in the past. He was Popovich’s top assistant the last few years, some thought he could be the successor to Popovich in due time. Hardy is known for his film study and should really help Udoka in the X’s and O’s department. I expect Hardy to be Udoka’s top assistant in Boston and a future head coach in this league.
After that, Udoka added former NBA Rookie of the Year and Pacific head coach, Damon Stoudamire to his staff. Having another former NBA player on the staff is huge, another coach the players can relate too. Udoka mentioned in his introductory press conference that the team needed to improve their assist numbers in 2021-22. Adding a former NBA Point Guard can only help. If Stoudamire’s main focus is to work with the point guards and improving ball distribution, he will be a welcomed addition. Having head coaching experience, albeit at the college level, will help Udoka as well.
Then Udoka added Aaron Miles. A Golden State Warriors assistant who has previous head coaching experience at the G League level. Another former player that had great success in college and overseas. He is the all-time assist leader in Kansas history. Another former point guard on the staff to help improve the Celtics 27th rank assist numbers. He is a big player development guy and was said to have worked closely with Andrew Wiggins last year where he had a career high in field goal and three-point percentages.
Udoka’s most recent hire was Hawaii assistant coach, Garrett Jackson. A 29 year old who just broke into coaching and is seen as a fast riser. He has a background in film study, practice preparation, player development and was the program’s nutrition coordinator.
The thing I like most about this group is that they are all young, hungry, energetic coaches that played the game, can relate to the players. While being young, they all still have solid experience and are highly regarded in the game. They have experience in the areas the Celtics need the most improvement and they are only going to get better with more experience.
The Celtics have completely revamped the entire coaching staff, which they desperately needed to do and they replaced older coaches that had been here forever and were no longer getting through to the players with young coaches that have something to prove, want to make a name for themselves and can relate to the players. Ime Udoka is putting together the perfect coaching staff for what he’s trying to accomplish here in Boston.