The Raptors are going in a different direction.
On Friday, it was reported and then confirmed by the team that the Raptors have parted ways with head coach Nick Nurse after five seasons at the helm.
There were rumblings throughout the 2022-23 season that Nurse and Toronto could split in the offseason. There were also rumblings that Nurse's most likely replacement in the event that he was fired is Ime Udoka.
Sure enough, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Udoka is expected to be a "serious candidate" for the job.
MORE: Five Raptors coaching candidates that could replace Nick Nurse
Who is Ime Udoka?
Udoka went undrafted in 2000. After starting his professional career in the D-League and overseas, he went on to play seven seasons in the NBA, which included stints with the Lakers, Knicks, Trail Blazers, Spurs and Kings.
Udoka played his last season in the NBA in 2010-11. He retired with career averages of 5.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists over 316 regular season games (80 starts).
Happy 41st birthday to #GLeagueAlum and current @spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka! 🎉🎊
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) August 9, 2018
Udoka averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in 136 #NBAGLeague contests with the North Charleston Lowgators and Fort Worth Flyers! pic.twitter.com/Yv218ObIFY
Udoka has spent the last decade on the sidelines. His first coaching job was as an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio (2012-19). He was then an assistant coach on the 76ers (2019-20) and Nets (2020-21) before getting an opportunity to be the head coach of the Celtics.
In his first season as a head coach, Udoka led the Celtics to a 51-31 record. He earned the fourth-most votes for Coach of the Year. He led the Celtics to the Finals, where they fell in six games to the Warriors.
MORE: Why the Raptors fired Nick Nurse as head coach
Ime Udoka coaching record
In addition to finishing fourth in Coach of the Year voting, Udoka was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month twice in 2021-22.
The Celtics finished the season ranked ninth in offensive efficiency and first in defensive efficiency.
| Season | Regular season | Playoffs | Result |
| 2021-22 | 51-31 | 24-14 | Lost in Finals |
What happened to Ime Udoka?
Joe Mazzulla replaced Udoka as Boston's head coach for the 2022-23 season after Udoka earned a season-long suspension for violating team policies. The Celtics said at the time that a decision about his future with the franchise beyond the season would "be made at a later date."
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Udoka had "an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff."
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 23, 2022
On Feb. 16, the Celtics removed Mazzulla's interim tag and made him their full-time head coach.
Joe Mazzulla is officially the 19th Head Coach in franchise history 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/LMcTLS1u0m
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 16, 2023
Udoka was linked to the Nets after the franchise parted with Steve Nash. He has also been linked to the opening with the Rockets after the franchise chose not to pick up Stephen Silas' option.
