Nia Long responds to appreciation amid Ime Udoka’s suspension





CNN

The love for Nia Long is flowing strong on social media as her longtime partner, Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka finds herself embroiled in controversy.

Long and Udoka share a 10-year-old son and have been engaged since 2015.

Consequently, many of Long’s supporters expressed their displeasure after reports surfaced that the former professional basketball player was facing suspension for having an alleged consensual relationship with a Celtics staff member.

“Fool Nia Long?” The end of days must be upon us. ‘Cause there’s no way,” tweeted Nina Parkeran Emmy-nominated television host and designer.

On Friday, Long responded to the outpouring with a statement provided to CNN by his rep.

“The love and support of family, friends and community during this difficult time means so much to me,” she said in the statement. “I ask that my privacy be respected as I deal with recent events. First and foremost, I am a mother and will continue to focus on my children.

She is loved, especially by the black community, as she starred in classic films such as ‘Love Jones’ and ‘Boyz N The Hood’.

The Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire 2022-2023 season on Thursday.

“I want to apologize to our players, our fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family for letting them down,” Udoka said in a statement to ESPN. “I am sorry to have put the team in this difficult situation and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will not comment further.

Long hasn’t spoken publicly about the issue, but on Wednesday she shared a new post of a health and wellness video on Instagram that referenced finding light in darkness and embracing positivity.

Last year, she spoke to Popculture.com about Udoka landing the head coaching job after serving as an assistant for nine years.

“He’s one of the most disciplined people I know. He worked really hard for it and now he just has to get to work with his players and do what he does best,” she said at the time. “So it’s an exciting time for our family to be able to sit in the stands.”