Nia Long said that the love affair with ex-fiance Ime Udoka after 13 years together was like “a blow from the sky”
Nia Long speaks out for the first time about her split from her partner of 13 years, the head coach of the Boston Celtics Ime Udokadescribes the very recent downfall of their relationship as “one hell of a punch and then this blessed red carpet”.
In a new cover story for Cut, the actor explained, “For the past 22 years, I’ve been drained. But at some point, you’re like, ‘Oh, I look a little tired.’ Even if I can’t see it, I can feel it. So I try to vent and let people know this is a ‘do not disturb’ time.” In September 2022, the Celtics suspended Udoka over reports that he “had an inappropriate intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team’s coaching staff,” each sport. Long says she still doesn’t understand why this very private matter is being handled so openly by the group. “Celts chose to go public with my family business and I don’t understand why. It could all have been handled internally,” she told the magazine. “I understand why, but I can’t talk about it. Maybe one day I will. You know, fear leads to stupidity, and I’ll leave it right there. I have learned that I am stronger than I ever thought.
The Boys in the neighborhood The star went on to explain that she overcame this difficult time in her life by prioritizing her youngest son, 11 years old. Kez, from her relationship with Udoka. She revealed, “Right now, my only concern is my youngest son because he’s going through a really hard time. I’m sure I have some things that I’m inhibiting, but I have to do it to take care of him first. That is giving. That is natural. I’m sure I’ll have to go back to myself over and over again to reconcile things. But one thing that I’m trying not to harbor is anger.” She added that she’s still trying to figure out what happened between her and her ex “Because, you know, you’ve been with someone for 12, 13 years, you think you know them “.
Thankfully, after revealing the fraud, Long received so much support from the public that she said “saved my life”. The actor continued, “It saved my mental health because I feel supported by the community in a way that my family is checking in and making sure I’m okay. And that, I appreciate. I have that for people like Beyoncé. I look at her, and I’m so proud of her because I know how hard it is to maintain and manage everything she has in her life. My life is probably a smaller version of that. Black women who are active, popular, and there to inspire are also required to be special, and sometimes I get tired of being strong. That’s my biggest thing: I don’t want to appear strong. I just want to have a pleasant experience. But the difference comes from race. Race matters and makes a difference in your experience and how people treat, respect, and respect you — and how people protect you. Malcolm X says the least protected people in America are Black women. That statement resonates in my life right now.”
But while she may still be reeling from that breakup, don’t expect Long to shed tears at the end of her 13-year relationship. “I don’t cry as much as I used to,” she confessed. “I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I check myself and let everyone know how I feel, better or worse. Because I don’t cling to nonsense, and I’m not passive-aggressive either. I say it and sometimes it’s accepted, sometimes it’s not, but in any case, it’s my truth.”
