BOSTON (AP) 鈥� The reigning Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics after a months-long investigation by an outside law firm that found multiple violations of team policies but did not point to a larger cultural problem of sexual misconduct, owner Wyc Grousbeck said Friday.
鈥淲e go to great lengths ... to run the organization with the central core value of respect and freedom in the workplace from harassment or any unwelcome attention,鈥� Grousbeck said at a news conference. 鈥淭his feels very much, to me, like one of a kind. That鈥檚 my personal belief. But I鈥檒l have to verify that.鈥�
Neither Grousbeck nor president of basketball operations Brad Stevens would elaborate on the specifics of the violations or the private report that was delivered to the team two days ago. But a person with knowledge of the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the details were not made public, told The Associated Press that it involved an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization.
Udoka's multiple violations involved one woman, a Celtics spokesman said Friday. No one else in the organization is facing discipline, Grousbeck said, adding that the team will be vigilant to make sure that Udoka's actions aren't a signal that there is a larger problem.
鈥淚 personally don鈥檛 believe that they鈥檙e a deeper signal,鈥� Grousbeck said. 鈥淏ut we will be 鈥� I will be, personally 鈥� talking to members of the organization to make sure that that鈥檚 the case.鈥�
A first-year coach who is three months removed from a trip to the NBA Finals, Udoka was suspended less than a week before training camp was to open for a team . Assistant Joe Mazzulla was elevated to interim coach through June 30, 2023; the Celtics say they have not decided about Udoka's future beyond then.
Stevens grew emotional when discussing the effect the scandal has had on the team 鈥� especially the women who were singled out on social media as possibly being involved. The team reached out to employees to offer support.
鈥淲e have a lot of talented women in our organization. I thought yesterday was really hard on them,鈥� Stevens said. 鈥淣obody can control Twitter speculation, rampant (expletive), but I do think that we as an organization have a responsibility to make sure we're there to support them now. Because a lot of people were dragged unfairly into that."
Grousbeck said the team learned of the problem earlier this summer and immediately brought in an outside law firm to investigate. After receiving the report, Grousbeck met with Udoka and he expressed 鈥渁cceptance and appreciation for how this has been handled.鈥�
Grousbeck would not say whether the suspension was unpaid but confirmed that it comes with a 鈥渟ignificant financial penalty.鈥� A year-long suspension is for a professional sports coach, but the lack of public detail about Udoka's behavior has .
Grousbeck disagreed, and noted that Udoka accepted the punishment and apologized.
鈥淚 personally feel that this is well-warranted and appropriate, backed by substantial research and evidence and facts,鈥� the owner said. 鈥淚t was clear that something substantial needed to be done. And it was."
Mazzulla, 34, led West Virginia to a victory in the 2007 NIT tournament and an upset over ninth-ranked Duke in the next year鈥檚 NCAA鈥檚. His only head coaching experience was a two-year stint from 2017-19 at Division II Fairmont State in West Virginia.
鈥淛oe鈥檚 going to be in charge. It鈥檚 not easy timing for him or the rest of the staff, but he鈥檚 an exceptionally sharp and talented person,鈥� said Stevens, who added that he gave no serious thought to stepping back onto the bench himself. 鈥淭his will be an unbelievable challenge, but I鈥檓 really confident in the team and the coaching staff that鈥檚 going to take the court on Tuesday. It鈥檚 not what we expected to happen, but I鈥檓 very confident in them.鈥�
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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.
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Jimmy Golen, The Associated Press
