Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka and actress Nia Long have ended their 13-year relationship following Udoka's alleged affair with a female coworker, according to People. Back in September, the Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire 2022-23 season and said that they would determine his future with the franchise "at a later date." The Celtics didn't reveal any details about Udoka's relationship with the female colleague, but The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that it was "improper and consensual."
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Long said she was "very disappointed" with how the Celtics handled the situation. Long said no one from the team called to check on her or the couple's son, Kez.
"I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son's face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public," Long said. "It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it's not easy for him. If you're in the business of protecting women - I'm sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I'm OK, to see if my children are OK. It's very disappointing."
At the time, Long did not reveal the status of her relationship with Udoka, but her rep has told People that she and Udoka are "no longer together but remain fully committed to co-parenting their son."
Udoka's future with the Celtics now looks incredibly murky with the team thriving under interim head coach Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics are currently 20-5, which is the best record in the NBA. According to The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn, the Celtics are now "fully invested" in Mazzulla moving forward.