Nia Long’s fiance, Ime Udoka, is under fire for his alleged intimate involvement with an NBA staff member. And upon hearing the news, social media is in hysterics.

His Relationship with Nia Long

Ime Udoka and Nia Long are reported to have been dating for more than a decade — since 2010. In 2011, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Kez Sunday Udoka. And four years later in 2015, they announced their engagement. 

Nia Long has always acted as a pillar of support for Udoka. In 2021, the “Friday” actress celebrated her fiance as he announced his new career as the head coach of the Boston Celtics. 

In the since deleted post, she writes, “Today you are officially the Head Coach of the Boston @celtics big love to the entire staff for the warm welcome. I am beyond proud of this man. Expect great things because that’s what he does.”

And as recently as this year, Nia Long posted a video of her cheering on the Boston Celtics as they played against the Golden State Warriors at the NBA Finals.

Suspicions Arise

After fans caught wind of the alleged affair, the internet went wild. Fans took to social media to offer their support to Nia Long, who has been pretty quiet about the situation. Or has she?

Fans noticed a cryptic video posted to her Instagram Story the same day the news broke. In the video, fans can see a densely-populated forest illuminated by rays of sunlight. Accompanying the video is a voice relaying a powerful message about finding light out of the darkness. 

“When you see people change their whole life and start walking down a path of enlightenment, hugging trees, connecting with nature, loving themselves, embracing positivity, letting that light shine, understand one thing: that light that you see, understand one thing about that light: they had to go into the darkness to get it.”

The message ends with a word of warning for its listeners, “Those people are not the type of people that you want to play with.”

What We Know About the Allegations

Nia Long is a legend in the Black community. Many fans wanted to be her, others wanted to be with her. Either way, no one messes with THE Nia Long. But unfortunately, fans can’t protect her from everything — including infidelity. Here’s everything we know about the cheating allegations involving her partner, Ime Udoka:

Who is Ime Udoka?

Ime Udoka is the head coach for the NBA team, the Boston Celtics. Even though he was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, his father is of Nigerian descent, which allowed Udoka to obtain dual citizenship in Nigeria and America.

Coach Udoka attended Jefferson High School before going off to college where he would start his basketball career. He played for a number of college basketball teams, including the Portland State University Vikings, before moving on to the big leagues.

Later, both of his parents would pass away, leaving behind him and his older sister, Mfon Udoka, a former WNBA player.

What Does He Do?

As head coach, Ime Udoka has quite a bit of experience in the sports industry. He was drafted into the G-League (formerly the NBDL) as the 39th pick for the Charleston Lowgators. He would later play for the New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, and New Jersey Nets before trying his hand at coaching.

In 2012, he acted as assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, where he earned his first championship title against the Miami Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals. After acting as assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, he scaled up to head coach of the Boston Celtics in 2021, where he currently works.

Udoka is also the fifth coach in 25 years to make the NBA Finals in his first season as a head coach.

What Are the Allegations Against Him?

Ime Udoka is engaged to actress Nia Long, but according to reports, he was getting hot and heavy with another woman.

Udoka is facing a possible season-long suspension for his alleged intimate and inappropriate involvement with a female staff member. And even though cheating on your fiance isn’t necessarily against NBA guidelines, having intimate relations with a staff member is.

Coach Udoka is currently in pretty hot water for allegedly violating team policy. Still, an investigation is underway to confirm whether rumors are true. If they are, assistant coach Joe Mazzulla is slated to fill in for him for the remainder of the season.

Who Did He Allegedly Cheat With?

Social media is buzzing about who Ime Udoka was allegedly involved with. And even though a few names have been thrown around, the lady in question is still unknown.

 

What we do know, however, is that the woman is a “female member of the team staff,” according to NBA insider Shams Charania. Reports also confirm that the rumored involvement was consensual between the two parties.

Has Either Party Made a Statement to that Effect?

As of yet, no statement has been made regarding the allegations. Neither Ime Udoka or rumored “other woman” has come forward to clear the air. And amid the investigation, the NBA and Boston Celtics have remained pretty quiet, too.

However, ESPN reports that an official announcement could be made as soon as today. 

Social Media Reacts

When it comes to covering breaking news, social media is THAT girl. From calling out racists to roasting problematic celebrities with memes fans on social media have a way of turning lemons into lemonade.

So when the news of the rumored affair began to circulate, social media was on it. And in true Twitter fashion, users showed up and showed out. Take a look at some of the “realest” reactions to the news.

This tweet that says what we’re all thinking:

This tweet that says the “quiet part” out loud:

This tweet that speaks on behalf of the Black commnity:

This hilarious throwback to Nia Long as “Lisa Wilkes” in “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”:

This tweet that tries to make sense of it all:

This tweet that reminds us of rapper J. Cole’s crush on Nia Long:

This tweet that points to the seriousness of the matter:

This tweet full of positivity and light:

And finally, a tweet to end on a high note: