This past weekend, the Los Angeles Lakers celebrated the legendary Pat Riley by unveiling a statue in his honor outside Crypto.com Arena. While the event was filled with nostalgia, one comment from Riley stirred up quite the conversation.
He suggested that NBA coaches should return to the classic suit and tie look for games. However, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has a different take on the matter.
Before the Rockets faced off against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, Udoka shared his thoughts on the attire debate, revealing that NBA coaches actually vote on this issue. According to Udoka, a whopping 87 percent prefer the more casual look.
“No thank you,” he remarked about the suit suggestion. “I enjoyed it at the time, but the COVID year changed it.
For comfort, packing, and less thinking-all of the above.”
Udoka’s journey in coaching began under the tutelage of Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2012. After a solid stint there, he moved on to the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2019-20 season and then joined the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant for the 2020-21 season. His big break came when he was named head coach of the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2021-22 season.
In his debut season as head coach, Udoka led the Celtics to the NBA Finals, ultimately falling to the Golden State Warriors in a hard-fought six-game series. His time with the Celtics ended in 2023 after a suspension led to his departure. Now, as head coach of the Rockets starting in the 2023-24 season, Udoka continues to make his mark on the league, both in coaching style and sideline fashion.