Rockets Coach Ime Udoka Ranks as Top-Five Coach

Ime Udoka arrived to the Houston Rockets at the perfect time. The Rockets were a young team in need of guidance and direction and Udoka had previously led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in his lone season as a head coach.

Not bad.

Udoka is a defensive-minded coach, which the Rockets needed, after ranking in the bottom five in defensive efficiency from 2020-2023. Udoka's Celtics ranked second in defensive efficiency, and had multiple players on the All-Defensive team in 2021-22.

In fact, Marcus Smart won Defensive Player of the Year that season, becoming the first guard since Gary Payton to take home the award. Smart and Robert Williams both made the All-Defensive team that season as well.

Udoka has never been afraid to challenge players, either in public or in private, but always in a respectful manner, in true Gregg Popovich fashion. To add color to that, Udoka played for Popovich as a player for three seasons, and later joined his coaching staff as an assistant for seven seasons.

During Udoka's years as an assistant, the San Antonio Spurs went to the NBA Finals twice, winning the championship in 2013-14 over the LeBron James-led Miami Heat, who were then dubbed the Heatles.

As Udoka enters year three with the Rockets, he's already ascended to the top of the coaching ranks, with Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix ranking him as the NBA's fifth-best coach.

"After steering Boston to the 2022 NBA Finals, Udoka generated a 19-win improvement and then a 52-win season in his first two years in Houston. Players love his blunt, no-nonsense approach."

The complete list is below:

1. Rick Carlisle- Indiana Pacers
2. Erik Spoelstra- Miami Heat
3. Mark Daigneault- Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Tyronn Lue- LA Clippers
5. Ime Udoka- Houston Rockets

Aside from Udoka, every other coach on the list has won an NBA championship.

Udoka's work with the Rockets should garner him even more respect, especially considering the state of the franchise upon his arrival. The Rockets under Udoka in 2023-24 won 41 games, which essentially represents their wins in the previous two seasons combined.

That number also represents a 19-win improvement in just one season.

In year two, the Rockets secured the second spot in the Western Conference, winning 52 games and snapping their four-year postseason drought. Udoka's best work with the Rockets lies ahead, especially with the addition of Kevin Durant and the development of Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.

The Rockets rewarded Udoka with a contract extension this past summer, making him one of the league's highest-paid coaches.