On Saturday, former Celtics coach Ime Udoka will return to TD Garden with the Rockets, a first since being suspended and subsequently dismissed for having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate team employee.
Udoka has guided Houston, which went 22-60 last season, to a surprising 18-18 start. But his longtime friend and former Celtics assistant Damon Stoudamire said that as pleased as Udoka is about this new chance, there are understandable thoughts about failing to capitalize on such a golden one.
“Not speaking for him, but I would say the regret is what could have been, because we had something special going,” Stoudamire, who now coaches Georgia Tech, said by phone. “More than anything, it’s basketball related. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears were put into that [2021-22] season. We went to the Finals and had a team coming back where we tweaked it just a little bit and we looked every bit the part. So that would be the regret. Anybody would feel that, not being able to see that situation through.
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