Nia Long plans to ‘focus on my children’ after fiancé Ime Udoka’s affair

Actor Nia Lengthy appreciates the priority folks have proven after information broke that her fiancé, Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, had an improper relationship with a feminine workforce workers member.

“The outpouring of affection and help from household, pals and the group throughout this tough time means a lot to me,” Lengthy mentioned in a press release to Boston.com. “I ask that my privateness be revered as I course of the current occasions. Above all, I’m a mom and can proceed to give attention to my kids.”

Lengthy and Udoka have been in a relationship since 2010 and share a 10-year-old son. The 2 have been engaged since 2015, however had no plans of getting married, with Lengthy as soon as telling Essence.com that “marriage is just not a precedence.”

On Thursday evening, the Celtics introduced Udoka can be suspended for the whole thing of the 2022-23 NBA season after an impartial investigation discovered that the coach’s relationship with a staffer was a violation of a number of workforce insurance policies.

“I need to apologize to our gamers, followers, all the Celtics group, and my household for letting them down,” Udoka mentioned in a press release to ESPN. “I’m sorry for placing the workforce on this tough scenario, and I settle for the workforce’s choice. Out of respect for everybody concerned, I’ll don’t have any additional remark.”

At a Friday press convention, Celtics proprietor Wyc Grousbeck and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens didn’t increase onwhat the investigation discovered or what particular workforce insurance policies Udoka violated.

Whereas a lot of the protection of Udoka’s scenario centered on the sports activities repercussions, Lengthy’s followers voiced their emotions concerning the affair on social media, with many declaring how beloved Lengthy is within the Black group.

Lengthy made her first large splash as Brandi in John Singleton’s 1991 movie, “Boyz N the Hood.” She landed a visitor spot on “Dwelling Single” in 1993, and a 12 months later she had a recurring position in “The Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air.” Lengthy starred alongside Ice Dice and Chris Tucker in F. Gary Grey’s “Friday” in 1995.

Podcaster and Oscar-winning producer Van Lathan Jr. tweeted, “Nia Lengthy has an 100% approval score with Black America and Ime Udoka is about to know that.”

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) shared a message of help for the “Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air” actor.

“Sending nothing however like to Nia Lengthy. We’re not letting a person, who didn’t acknowledge the posh her presence was, dim all her magnificence and glory,” he wrote. “Matter of reality, we’d like a Nia Lengthy nationwide vacation!”

Consumer @queenveej wrote, “Unhappy half is Nia Lengthy don’t even be in no mess and now this man acquired her title in every single place whereas she simply making an attempt to movie the final Greatest Man in peace.”

Under are some extra tweets in help of Lengthy.