Damon Stoudamire is returning to the NBA as an assistant coach on Ime Udoka's staff with the Boston Celtics, per Stadium's Jeff Goodman.
The former Arizona Wildcat, who previously coached in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2009-11, was under contract as Pacific's head coach through the 2025-26 season.
Stoudamire, who interviewed for UA head coaching vacancy after the school parted ways with 12-year coach Sean Miller, coached the Tigers for five seasons and was named the 2020 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year after leading UP to a 23-10 record.
Stoudamire, 47, has an established relationship with the 43-year-old Udoka. They were briefly teammates with the San Antonio Spurs in 2008, and grew up in the Portland area together, although Stoudamire attended Woodrow Wilson High School while Udoka went to Jefferson High School.
Udoka was officially hired by the Celtics in June, after spending the last season as an assistant coach under Steve Nash in Brooklyn. Udoka replaced Brad Stevens, who took over for Danny Ainge as president of basketball operations.
