Celtics

There's no clear favorite to land the job.

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Brad Stevens is conducting the search to find the next head coach of the Celtics. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

If there is one thing the betting odds on who will be the next head coach of the Celtics show, it’s that there is no clear frontrunner for the job.

Nets assistant coach Ime Udoka has the best odds to become the Celtics’ next head coach on BetOnline. However, Udoka’s odds are listed at +550, giving an implied probability of just 15.4 percent.

The Celtics are seeking permission to interview Udoka, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday.

Udoka joined the Nets’ coaching staff this season when Steve Nash became the team’s head coach. He spent the year prior as an assistant with the 76ers under Brett Brown and was an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio for seven seasons prior. Udoka’s former boss believes one of his best traits is his comfortability.

“He exudes a confidence and a comfort in his own skin where people just gravitate to him,” Popovich once said of Udoka. “He’s a fundamentally sound teacher because he’s comfortable with himself, he knows the material and players read it. Often times, I’ll say, ‘Ime, can you go talk to so-and-so? Go talk to Patty Mills, go talk to Timmy, go talk to Kawhi.’ And he’ll do it better than I would do it — and I’m not blowing smoke. The only thing I don’t like about him is that he doesn’t drink, so I can’t enjoy a glass of wine with him. He’s really boring at dinner.”

Right behind Udoka for the best odds are Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups and Duke women’s basketball head coach Kara Lawson, who are both listed at +600.

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Billups, an ex-NBA player who once played in Boston, is considered to be a “very serious” candidate for the Celtics and Trail Blazers jobs, according to Wojnarowski. After retiring as a player in 2014, Billups first showed a desire to get a front-office job but turned down opportunities. He served as an NBA analyst for ESPN and was the Clippers’ color commentator before joining the Clippers’ coaching staff this season.

Lawson has ties to the Celtics. She was an assistant under Brad Stevens for the 2019-20 season. Celtics guard Marcus Smart credited Lawson for his improved shooting and several other players expressed their gratitude for her help. Lawson just finished her first year at Duke, which ended after four games due to COVID-19 concerns.

Jay Larranaga has the best odds among current Celtics assistants at +650. Larranaga joined the Celtics’ coaching staff in 2012, when Doc Rivers was the head coach. Larranaga has “worked closely with [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown and can be credited with aiding their ascension,” according to Boston Globe Celtics beat writer Gary Washburn. Larranaga was a finalist for the Hornets’ head coach job in 2018 and has reportedly interviewed for the Celtics’ job.

76ers assistant Sam Cassell rounds out the top five at +800 odds. Prior to joining the 76ers’ staff this season, Cassell spent 11 seasons as an assistant with the Wizards and Clippers. Cassell won a title with the Celtics as a player in 2008.

Jason Kidd, Lloyd Pierce, Scott Morrison, Jamahl Mosley, and Charles Lee are each listed at +900. Kidd and Pierce are the only two of the aforementioned group to have head coaching experience. Kidd, now a Lakers assistant, has been a head coach for the Nets (2013-14) and the Bucks (2014-18) while Pierce was the Hawks’ head coach from 2018 until his firing this season.

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Morrison is currently on the Celtics’ staff while Mosley is with the Mavericks and Lee is with the Bucks. All three have either interviewed or are expected to interview for the job.

Celtics legend Larry Bird and ex-Celtics coach Rick Pitino round out the list at +10,000 each.

Here are the full odds on the next Celtics head coach via BetOnline:

Ime Udoka +550

Chauncey Billups +600

Kara Lawson +600

Jay Larranaga +650

Sam Cassell +800

Jason Kidd +900

Lloyd Pierce +900

Scott Morrison +900

Jamahl Mosley +900

Charles Lee +900

Mike D’Antoni +1000

Becky Hammon +1200

Darvin Ham +1200

David Vanterpool +2000

Kenny Atkinson +2000

Jarron Collins +3300

Alvin Gentry +3300

Jeff Van Gundy +3300

Nate McMillan +3300

Chris Holtmann +3300

Jerome Allen +3300

Mike Krzyzewski +6600

Tony Bennett +6600

Rick Pitino +10,000

Larry Bird +10,000