Brooklyn Nets Announce Jacque Vaughn As Head Coach Despite Ime Udoka Rumors

The Brooklyn Nets have named Jacque Vaughn as the team’s new head coach, despite rumors that the team had its sights set on Ime Udoka . 

The Nets announced  Vaughn’s promotion on Wednesday. He had been serving as the interim head coach since the team parted ways with former head coach Steve Nash last week. 

Vaughn joined the Nets as an assistant head coach in 2016. He was named interim head coach in March 2020, then returned to his assistant coach role when Nash was hired later that year. Prior to joining the Nets, he served as head coach of the Orlando Magic. 

Vaughn’s hiring may come as a surprise to some basketball fans since rumors emerged last week that Udoka was expected to land the job. 

Udoka was previously suspended as the Boston Celtics head coach in September after an independent law firm’s monthslong investigation found that he had violated multiple team policies. Several publications, citing unnamed sources, reported at the time that Udoka had engaged in an improper relationship with a member of the organization. 

Sean Marks, the Nets general manager, sidestepped questions about Udoka’s standing as the potential next head coach during a news conference last week. 

The Brooklyn team has recently been entangled in controversy. Guard Kyrie Irving apologized last week  after the Nets suspended him without pay for at least five games for tweeting a link to an antisemitic film.