The Houston Rockets’ choice to bring in Ime Udoka as head coach in 2023 has turned out to be a highly successful move. Udoka inherited a team that finished the 2022–23 season with a 22-60 record, but he quickly sparked a turnaround.
In his first year at the helm, the Rockets improved to a 41-41 record, then took another leap in 2024–25 by finishing 52-30. They earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and pushed a surging Golden State Warriors team to seven games in the first round before being eliminated.
Despite the early playoff exit, the Rockets had another strong campaign under Udoka, whose reputation across the league has seen a significant rebound.
His standing had taken a major hit following a suspension by the Boston Celtics, just months after leading them to the 2022 NBA Finals. The suspension stemmed from a violation of team policy involving an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member, and the Celtics eventually parted ways with him in 2023. Houston offered him a second chance, and he has made the most of it.
Now, Udoka’s success has reportedly attracted the attention of the New York Knicks, who are looking to replace Tom Thibodeau, fired on Tuesday. However, according to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, the Rockets have no intention of allowing Udoka to leave and are not open to discussions.
As a result, the Knicks will have to explore other options—Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is reportedly on their radar, though the Mavericks are expected to resist any attempts to lure him away as well.
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