Nia Long says that she and Ime Udoka’s son, Kez, is having a “really tough time” with his dad’s affair scandal. The Celtics famously suspended Udoka for the entirety of the 2022–23 season for violations of team policies. He reportedly had an improper intimate relationship with a female staff member of the organization. The team has since replaced him with Joe Mazzulla as head coach. Nia Long addressed how the scandal impacted her family during an interview with The Cut.
“My only focus right now is my youngest son ’cause he’s having a really tough time,” the actress said. “I’m sure I have some things that I’m suppressing, but I have to do that to take care of him first. That’s the giving. It’s natural.” She added: “I’m sure I’ll have to circle back with myself several times to reconcile things, but the one thing I’m trying not to harbor is anger.”
Nia Long With Kez
Later in the interview, Long called out the Celtics organization for choosing to make their business public knowledge. “The Celtics made a choice to make my family business public, and I don’t understand why,” she said. “It could’ve all been handled internally. I do understand why, but I can’t talk about it. Maybe one day I will. You know, fear drives stupidity, and I’ll leave that right there. I’ve learned that I’m stronger than I ever thought I was.”
Despite the drama, Nia Long says that the support she’s received from fans has helped her get through it. “It saved my mental well-being because I felt uplifted by the community in a way that felt like my family was checking in and making sure I was OK,” she shared. “And that, I appreciated.”
Udoka apologized after the incident became public. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision,” he said in a statement to ESPN. “Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.” He’s yet to officially join another team.
[Via]