The Houston Rockets have agreed to a contract extension with head coach Ime Udoka, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA, according to ESPN. While the financial terms have not been disclosed, the deal comes shortly after the New York Knicks were reportedly showing interest in potentially pursuing Udoka during their offseason evaluations.
Udoka joined the Rockets ahead of the 2023–24 season following his exit from Boston. In just his second year, he led the team to a 52–30 record, the franchise’s best regular-season finish since 2019. Houston claimed the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference but was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors in seven games.
Knicks’ Interest Sparks Fan Reactions to Ime Udoka’s Extension
Defensively, Udoka’s influence was evident. The Rockets finished the year with a 110.8 defensive rating (4th in the NBA) and posted a top-10 net rating at +4.6.
The extension signals the franchise’s commitment to continuity as it looks to build on its progress. Houston also recently re-signed Steven Adams and has until June 29 to decide on Fred VanVleet’s $44.9 million team option.
Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has agreed to a long-term contract extension with the franchise that makes him one of the highest paid NBA coaches, after a 52-win season and top-2 seed for the first time in seven years, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/fah9NMuWyj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 19, 2025
The contract figures were not disclosed, but the timing of the deal, shortly after reports of Knicks interest surfaced, raised eyebrows online, particularly among New York fans who’ve seen their team become an unexpected influence in league-wide coaching moves.
With Udoka now staying in Houston, NBA fans wasted little time connecting the dots, and many pointed toward the Knicks as an indirect factor in the Rockets’ urgency to lock down their coach.
One user commented on the ripple effect New York has had: “Knicks getting everyone paid.”
Knicks getting everyone paid
— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) June 19, 2025
Another questioned whether this ends any speculation: “So not going to the Knicks?”
So not going to the Knicks?
— Kaden (@PlayoffKaden) June 19, 2025
A third tweet referenced the role of New York’s front office in driving up negotiations: “Knicks front office getting all these coaches paid.”
Knicks front office getting all these coaches paid
— Julito McCullum aka LITO (@IamJulito) June 19, 2025
And one user kept it simple: “Knicks got him paid.”
Knicks got him paid
— SleeperKnicks (@SleeperKnicks) June 19, 2025
With Udoka staying in Houston, the Rockets move forward with coaching stability secured, but the chatter around the Knicks’ indirect influence wasn’t lost on fans online.
