Nia Long Calls Out The Celtics For Their Handling Of The Ime Udoka Cheating Scandal
I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Nia Long to have to go through the very public cheating scandal of fiance Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. Well,…
I can't imagine what it must have been like for Nia Long to have to go through the very public cheating scandal of fiance Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. Well, we don't have to wonder anymore as Long has addressed the scandal in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter. In the interview, "The iconic actress opens up about the return of the ‘Best Man' franchise, being dragged into an NBA scandal and at last pursuing a career on her terms: “The days of being on the battlefield unnecessarily are over.”"
Let's recap
Nia's fiance Ime Udoka, who has an 11-year-old son (Kez) with Long, was suspended for the 2022-2023 season for multiple violations of team policies, that included an improper relationship with a woman in the Celtics organization. FYI, Nia and Ima started dating in 2009 and got engaged in 2015.
The press conference
The Celtics then called a press conference to address the suspension. About that press conference, Nia said that she was not happy about the way the Celtics handled it. From THR interview, she said...“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” says Long, who took her son out of school when the news broke. “It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it’s not easy for him. If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK. It’s very disappointing.”As news of Udoka’s transgressions spread across sports outlets that day, so did a swell of support for Long on social media as the disgraced coach issued a statement apologizing to players, fans and his family for letting them down.
She also said that after that happened, “I went home to be with my son, and that was what was most important to me, because he was not having an easy time.”
Support for Nia
When all this was happening, Long says that she got a lot of support. “I literally felt like my heart had jumped out of my body,” she recalls of the media blitz. “And then what I found was this tribe of women and men who were standing up for me in a way that felt like I was in this bubble of protection, and that was very comforting.”
The latest
Nia didn't discuss the status of her relationship with Ime, nor did she talk about the cheating. She is currently moving back to LA from Boston into a new home with her sons. Besides 11-year-old Kez, she also has a 22-year-old son named Massai from a previous relationship.
In other Nia news...
Nia Long is back with a new project. A Peacock series called The Best Man: The Final Chapter, will premiere on December 22nd. Here's the trailer.
Boston Is The Second Best City For Basketball Fans
The Boston Celtics are in the playoffs, and it's a good time to be a basketball fan in Massachusetts.
In fact, a recent study found that Boston ranked second when it came to cities that were the top for hoops fans.
In this latest study done by personal finance website WalletHub, over 290 of the biggest cities were compared based on 21 key metrics, ranging from the performance level of each city's NBA and NCAA Division 1 basketball teams to ticket prices and stadium accessibility.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the industry as a whole, the NBA's revenue is on track to reach $10 billion in 2021-2022, which is an increase from $8.3 billion just before the pandemic. Vaccination against COVID-19 and the return of fans to stadiums have helped basketball recover, and NBA franchises are already worth nearly $2.5 billion on average.
With all this momentum out of the pandemic, there has never been a better time for basketball fans. Losing out only to Los Angeles, Boston is statistically the best place to watch the game on the court.
Top 10 Cities for Basketball Fans
10. Oklahoma City, OK
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Brandon Boston Jr. #4 of the LA Clippers fakes a pass in front of Melvin Frazier Jr. #6 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during a 138-88 Clippers win at Crypto.com Arena on April 10, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE
9. Houston, TX
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 10: Jalen Green #0 of the Houston Rockets high fives fans following a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Toyota Center on April 10, 2022 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
8. Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 08: Rui Hachimura #8 of the Washington Wizards reacts against the New York Knicks during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 08, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
7. San Antonio, TX
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - DECEMBER 14: Patty Mills #8 of the San Antonio Spurs greets to the fans after a game between San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns at Arena Ciudad de Mexico on December 14, 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
6. Miami, FL
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 17: A Miami Heat fan poses during the first quarter in Game One between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat in the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at FTX Arena on May 17, 2022 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
5. Philadelphia, PA
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 10: Fans react as Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets takes the court before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 10, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
4. San Francisco, CA
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors takes an inbound pass in a 112-87 Warriors win during Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Chase Center on May 20, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
3. Salt Lake City, UT
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - APRIL 28: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz in action during the second half of Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 28, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
2. Boston, MA
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 15: A general view of fans during the third quarter in Game Seven of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on May 15, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
1. Los Angeles, CA
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 03: Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers in the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on March 03, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
