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The end of the road has been a long time coming for Ime Udoka and Nia Long, who recently split after holding strong as a power couple for over a decade. The former couple, who share an 11-year-old son Kez resolved to go their separate ways while focusing on raising their kid.
A source confirmed the split to People just months after the former Boston Celtics head coach’s alleged affair with a female subordinate within the organization went public. Speaking to the outlet, the insider shared:
“The situation is unfortunate and painful, but Nia is focusing on her children and rebuilding her life.”
A representative revealed that despite their decision to part ways, the former couple, who became engaged in 2015, remains fully committed to co-parenting their son.
Nia Long Seemingly Hints At Ime Udoka Split
Months before sources confirmed the breakup of the power couple, Nia Long gave the world a heads-up about what the future held. Following the cheating scandal, the Best Man actress released a statement to People, thanking everyone for their outpouring of love. She also urged the public to respect her privacy before stating that she would continue focusing on her children as a mother.
Months later, in December 2022, the mom of three addressed her longtime partner’s scandalous affair again, explaining how it adversely affected their son. However, when asked about the status of her relationship with Ime, the 52-year-old declined to comment, raising suspicions among fans. In October, she seemingly deleted all trees of the NBA coach from her Instagram except one. It looks like the answer is finally out in the open.
Ime Udoka’s Alleged Affair Cost More Than A Split
Aside from losing his longtime partner and adversely affecting their 11-year-old son, Ime’s affair also took a toll on his career. Back in September, the Boston Celtics released a statement announcing the head coach’s immediate suspension from the team for violating team policies. They also pointed out their intentions to evaluate his future with the Celtics.
Although the 45-year-old has since apologized for his alleged misconduct in a statement to ESPN‘s Malika Andrews, his fate had already been sealed. He missed out on the chance to participate in the 2022-23 NBA season and could lose his appointment with the team. Worse than all that, Ime Udoka lost his chance of starting a family with his partner of thirteen years, Nia Long.