The Celtics dealt with lots of turmoil last season: injuries, a short turnaround from the Orlando bubble and COVID-19 outbreaks affecting several players, including star Jayson Tatum. The Celtics are hoping to turn the page entering training camp, and Jaylen Brown appears optimistic, particularly about new head coach Ime Udoka.
“I’m completely bought in,” Brown said of Udoka. “I’m looking forward to this season and being an extension of him on the court.” (Twitter link via Keith Smith of Spotrac).
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens, the former head coach, says that Brown has been cleared by the team’s doctors after recovering from wrist surgery, and will be a full participant in practice, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Udoka participated in media day virtually through Zoom, instead of in person, because the first-year head coach is in the last day of quarantine after contracting a breakthrough case of COVID-19, per ESPN News Services. Udoka is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, according to team spokesperson Christian Megliola. He’s expected to join the Celtics Tuesday for the start of training camp.
There’s more from Boston:
- Dennis Schröder mentioned on Sunday that Tatum and Brown both called to recruit him to the Celtics, but they weren’t the only ones. He told reporters Monday that Stevens, Udoka, and former Hawks teammate Al Horford called him as well, adding, “I know Al Horford will have the locker room under control.” (Twitter link via Keith Smith of Spotrac).
- Schröder also consulted with Sam Presti before signing with Boston, and the Thunder general manager endorsed the Celtics organization, per Smith (Twitter link).
- Juan Hernangomez, who dislocated his left shoulder over the summer in an exhibition game before the Olympics, says the shoulder is 100 percent now, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).
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