He had me at "motion offense".Some clips from a few years ago, talking some offense and defensive, coaching, etc.:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTKGVp963MM
This is how I remembered it being pronounced when he played.I like this. It's always hard to tell with assistants what is them vs. others, but I like what I hear, and I like that he has experience with multiple organizations on different HC's staffs, rather than being someone who has spent all his time with 1 HC.
I believe it is pronounced like "E-May" "Ooo-DoH-KUH" but the first sylable could be "you" over "ooo", kinda inconsistent there based on what I've heard from announcers, can't find a clip of him saying his own name to compare.
As long as they don't sign Oubre, we're good.One concern.... between the Horford and Udoka additions.... are the Celtics going to be TOO handsome?
Maybe Sam comes in as an assistant.One concern.... between the Horford and Udoka additions.... are the Celtics going to be TOO handsome?
If you watch the clips posted above he's asked that exact question and says that he actually didn't do much coaching of Kawhi in-season, but did a bit more during the off-season. So...maybe?Reading up on Udoka, it seems like he was a big part of Kawhi Leonard's development into a premier two-way player and superstar.
If you go into youtube and search "Spurs motion" you will see every NBA team running concepts Pop and the Spurs did first. Recently Pop seems ahead of the curve on midrange stuff, but much of that may just be using Derozan. They have been really good at getting guys they want shots, and the guy they don't want fewer shots. Sorry Grant.He had me at "motion offense".
Depends on your preference. Me? Not interested. An alien? Possibly.He is a lot more handsome than Sam Cassell, that’s what I’ve got. This is a major positive.
This is a good counter argument.Depends on your preference. Me? Not interested? An alien? Possibly.
Tyler Johnson is an UFA.One concern.... between the Horford and Udoka additions.... are the Celtics going to be TOO handsome?
Amazing. I love this hire. May need to call him Fufu. Or Ninja.Ime the Great. The good stuff starts about halfway down the page.
Credit to Infield Infidel for pointing me to it.
that was laugh out loud funnyMaybe Sam comes in as an assistant.
Pretty sure that's Frank Sivero from Goodfellas.And David Schwimmer
Exactly.With the caveat that I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm thrilled with this hire.
This was well playedInside track on reacquiring Kyrie when things go pear shaped in BK. Nice.
This is probably the most important metric of the hire. If the Jays are good, I'm good. Let's go.
I guess he could be forgiven (if historically uninformed) if he just forgot about a bunch of Black coaches the Celtics had back in the 60s/70s/even the 80s. But Doc Rivers was literally only two coaches ago.View: https://twitter.com/BOSTONSPORTSB/status/1407793757261533184
As if we needed additional proof that Jay Williams is an idiot.
Duke point guards are driving down the value of that degree quicklyA Duke education isn’t what it used to be
His two big moves so far seem to be on the right track. Let's Go!This is what matters most. Yelling at the refs, constructing line-ups that satisfies 11% of this forum and using timeouts and challenges in a fan approved fashion matters not one whit. Do the stars want to play for him? That is the only question that matters.
As DJnVA notes, Stevens is pretty decisive and quick to execute. It seems like he has a plan...
Why so? What Jay Williams said was not only wrong but extremely stupid. So why are you giving him ANY credit?Must have deleted the tweet. As well he should have. At least I can give him more credit than Mort.
The Celtics need to demand an apology. That was exceptionally insulting to Bill Russell and his historic accomplishmentsWhy so? What Jay Williams said was not only wrong but extremely stupid. So why are you giving him ANY credit?
Unbelievable, but also totally expected.The Celtics need to demand an apology. That was exceptionally insulting to Bill Russell and his historic accomplishments
Ime has been just as we thought he would be,” Popovich said in 2013. “He’s a pro. He enjoys the discussions, the arguments about pick-and-roll and post defense and all that kind of junk. He understands what’s to be gained from watching and figuring things out that way. He’s at work all day, either in coaches’ meetings or watching or on the court, trying to get better at his craft.”
Popovich added: “The guys have reacted great to him. He has earned their respect, so much so that in his first year I put him in charge of 10 [opposing] teams. He is responsible for scouting reports for them, telling me what he thinks we should do against them. We talk about it, then he addresses the team [at shootaround], giving them the scouting report. He is doing the whole nine yards. He has been wonderful, he really has.”
Even then, in his first season as an assistant, Udoka had shown Popovich that he could be an NBA head coach some day.
“Absolutely,” Popovich said of that possible development. “Ime has the toughness and the mind to where he understands how to maintain discipline. A lot of coaches will give in and do what’s easy. He knows how to handle players. He has been able to stroke them and stay on them at the same time. That’s a really good quality. The players know he cares about them, but he can make demands and they respond to him. That’s important for a head coach. Players have great ‘BS antenna.’ If they think you don’t know what you’re doing, they’re going to call you out immediately.”
“He exudes a confidence and a comfort in his own skin where people just gravitate to him,” Popovich said in a 2015 ESPN story. “He’s a fundamentally sound teacher because he’s comfortable with himself, he knows the material and players read it. Often times, I’ll say, ‘Ime, can you go talk to so-and-so? Go talk to Patty Mills, go talk to Timmy [Duncan], go talk to Kawhi [Leonard].’ And he’ll do it better than I would do it — and I’m not blowing smoke.”
That experience and comfort talking to star players — something he experienced on the superteam Nets this past season — should obviously serve him well going forward.
Popovich, though, did fault Udoka in one specific area.
“The only thing I don’t like about him is that he doesn’t drink, so I can’t enjoy a glass of wine with him,” Popovich lamented. “He’s really boring at dinner.”
The Celtics are probably all right with that.
In 2018, Udoka said he shared some traits with Popovich.
“Overall my approach is similar to Pop, very demanding as well, but don’t get rattled on the outside,” Udoka said.
That being said, Udoka is wise enough to know that Popovich cannot be emulated.
“I would always emphasize in the meetings, ‘I learned a ton under Pop and been blessed to see what he does, but I’m not Pop. I’m my own person,'” Udoka said in 2019. “You have to stress that. The worst thing you can do is try to be somebody else and not be genuine with who you are. So, he’s always said that from Day 1. He said, ‘I brought you here to be yourself and be able to talk to guys and do what you do. They hear enough from me, so you got to be authentic in who you are.
Well the SuperSonics had Wilkins, Russell, Jones, Bickerstaff, and McMillan. But OKC has had zero I think.Very optimistic about this hire. Udoka joints a list of Celtics African-American head coaches including Russell, Sanders, Jones, Carr, and Rivers. Has any other franchise had more?
The internet never forgets. Jay really should backpedal and apologize or just hand in his keys at ESPN.Must have deleted the tweet. As well he should have. At least I can give him more credit than Mort.
winner!
Williams is now claiming he didn’t post it and his “password had now been changed”The internet never forgets. Jay really should backpedal and apologize or just hand in his keys at ESPN.