Ime Udoka 'Used Crude Language' with Female Celtics Staffer Before Their Alleged Affair: Report

Maddie Malhotra/Getty Ime Udoka

New details have emerged about what led to Ime Udoka's one-year suspension from the Boston Celtics.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, an independent law firm hired by the Celtics to investigate the alleged affair between former head coach Udoka, 45, and a staff member was completed early last week.

The firm found that Udoka "used crude language in his dialogue" with the female subordinate "prior to the start of" their alleged affair, per Wojnarowski.

Additionally, they found that Udoka had used language that was "especially concerning coming from a workplace superior."

Wojnarowski reported that Udoka would "likely" face a "difficult pathway back to his reinstatement as Celtics coach" following his year-long suspension. It now looks likely that the Celtics will let Udoka leave the team to pursue head coach positions elsewhere, and the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly set to hire him, The Athletic and ESPN reported Tuesday.

RELATED: Celtics Owner Says Ime Udoka's Suspension Is 'Well-Warranted and Appropriate' After Alleged Affair

Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald/Getty Ime Udoka

Udoka led the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance in his first year as an NBA head coach and was preparing for the upcoming season when news broke of the alleged affair in late September.

The former head coach has been in a relationship with longtime girlfriend, Fatal Affair actress Nia Long, since they met in 2010.

The two share a 10-year-old son, Kez Sunday, and confirmed their engagement in May 2015.

In a statement shared exclusively with PEOPLE at the time, Long said: "The outpouring of love and support from family, friends and the community during this difficult time means so much to me. I ask that my privacy be respected as I process the recent events. Above all, I am a mother and will continue to focus on my children."

Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Nia Long and Ime Udoka

RELATED: Ime Udoka Reacts to Boston Celtics Suspension After Alleged Affair: 'I Accept the Team's Decision'

Following the suspension, Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said both the club and Ime Udoka are "moving forward" after the team suspended its head coach for "violations of team policy" for the entirety of the 2022-23 NBA season.

Grousbeck, 61, told reporters during a press conference that he feels Udoka's suspension is "well-warranted and appropriate, backed by substantial research and evidence and facts," after bringing in the law firm to conduct an independent investigation.

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"I'm standing by the decision and Ime has accepted it and has expressed, in fact, appreciation," Grousbeck told reporters Friday.

He continued: "I don't want to belabor that, but he's been accepting of that and he's been planning to move forward on this basis. So we are suspending him for the year and it's in place and we're moving forward."

RELATED VIDEO: Nia Long Speaks Out amid Fiancé Ime Udoka's Alleged Affair, Suspension from Celtics

Grousbeck said that he would not "get into our deliberations" when asked why the club decided to suspend Udoka for an entire year rather than fire him outright, taking responsibility for the decision.

"This felt right, but there's no clear guidelines for any of this," Grousbeck explained. "This is really conscious and gut feel and being here 20 years, and I'm responsible for the decision, ultimately, although it took a lot of advice from partners like Brad and others and we collectively came to this and got there, but it was not clear what to do."

"But it was clear that something substantial needed to be done, in my view," the team owner added. "And it was."