Nia Long and Ime Udoka are heading out in a different direction. A source only affirms to Individuals that Long, 51, and Udoka, 45, have cut off their 13-year-friendship after the previous Boston Celtics lead trainer supposedly engaged in extramarital relations with a female subordinate inside the group’s association.
“The circumstance is awful and agonizing, however Nia is zeroing in on her kids and remaking her life,” the source says.
A rep for Long likewise affirms the couple are “presently not together however remain completely dedicated to co-nurturing their child [Kez].”
The couple’s divided comes after the Boston Celtics held a question and answer session in September to address Udoka’s suspension.
“I think the most grievous thing pretty much this was all seeing my child’s face when the Boston Celtics association chose to unveil what is going on,” Long told The Hollywood Journalist last week.
In September, only weeks before the beginning of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Boston Celtics gave an assertion on Udoka’s nearby suspension from the group.
At that point, they said Udoka had disregarded “group arrangements,” and noticed his future with the group will be assessed. In no time before the Celtics explanation went live, ESPN detailed that Udoka had a “job in a close connection with a female individual from the establishment’s staff.” Individuals later affirmed the claims.
Udoka later gave an assertion to ESPN’s Malika Andrews on the supposed relationship. “I need to apologize to our players, fans, the whole Celtics association, and my family for letting them down,” he said. “I’m upset for placing the group in this tough spot, and I acknowledge the group’s choice.”
His message closed, “Keeping in mind all interested parties, I will have no further remark.” Long gave her own assertion only to Individuals following the news.
“The incredible flood of affection and backing from family, companions and the local area during this troublesome time implies such a great amount to me,” Long said to Individuals.
“I ask that my protection be regarded as I process the new occasions. Most importantly, I’m a mother and will keep on zeroing in on my youngsters.”
Long and Udoka had been locked in starting around 2015 and share one kid together, 11-year-old child Kez.
The entertainer and the previous lead trainer initially met in February 2010 when Udoka was an expert b-ball player with the Sacramento Lords. L
ong was in Boston shooting a pilot for NBC, Udoka was playing against the Boston Celtics and a shared companion set them up, as per the Boston Globe.
In June 2011, Long and Udoka solely uncovered to Individuals that they were expecting their most memorable kid together. Long was at that point mother to child Massai from a past relationship, yet the new expansion was Udoka’s most memorable youngster. Their child Kez was subsequently brought into the world on Nov. 7, 2011.
Nia Long and Ime Udoka Break Up After 13 Years Together Following NBA Coach’s Alleged Affair – People https://t.co/zt0wx4rSf9
— Rod (@rodimusprime) December 6, 2022
During their relationship, Long was resolute how “marriage isn’t really important for me,” telling Quintessence in their August 2012 issue she had “never seen a marriage work” and that marriage didn’t characterize an effective relationship for herself and Udoka. ” I don’t feel less cherished or less adoring in light of the fact that I’m not hitched,” she said at that point.
“I endeavored to have the profession I needed, yet I’ve additionally been conscious about my own life. No part of this is a misstep.” Notwithstanding that, Udoka and Long got participated in May 2015. In any case, the pair had no designs to rush down the passageway, with Long telling a TMZ Sports journalist the next June that they were “taking as much time as necessary” with wedding arranging. She had comparable feelings in December 2020 on Pith’s Yes Young lady webcast, uncovering that they didn’t require the marks of a couple to know that they’re “in an organization.”
Long added, “Love is confounded … and afterward you start a marriage, which I’ve never been hitched. What’s more, there’s a justification for that since I don’t realize that I really want to say ‘I do’ to demonstrate to you that I love you. Yet additionally, what does marriage truly [mean] … that you own me now and I own you? I don’t get that part.”
In June 2021, Udoka was named the lead trainer of the Boston Celtics subsequent to filling in as an associate mentor for the San Antonio Spikes, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.
Long had likewise been occupied with her own vocation in Hollywood, which at present incorporates featuring in Peacock’s restricted series The Best Man: The Last Sections, and the movies Looking with Tempest Reid and You Individuals with Eddie Murphy, Jonah Slope and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Due to their positions, the pair lived in discrete states for some time, with Long and her child in Los Angeles and Udoka in Boston. In any case, Nia had as of late moved her family to Boston to accompany Udoka. She has since moved back to LA with her child.