Nia Long says she will need all the support she can get after being caught off guard by her fiancé, the Celtics coach Ime Udoka …which we learned kept her in the dark about his affair, even though the team arrested him months ago.
Sources connected to the team and the couple tell TMZ… Nia had moved to Boston with kezher 10-year-old son with Ime just 2 weeks ago and the couple were house hunting.
The sad twist for Nia is that when she moved out, Ime was already fully aware that her affair with a married front office employee was about to explode. We are told that Ime had known since July that the team knew about the matter and was launching an investigation.
Meanwhile, we’re told Nia only found out about it in the past few days…and only because Ime knew it was about to go public.
Nia tells TMZ, through her rep Shannon Barr … “The outpouring of love and support from family, friends and the community during this difficult time means so much to me. I ask that my privacy be respected as I process recent events. First and foremost, I am a mother and will continue to focus on my children.”
The social media reaction against Ime and support for Nia was swift as soon as the Celtics announced on Wednesday they would punish him.
TMZ.com
On Thursday night, the Celtics officially suspended him for the entire upcoming 2022-23 season.
In response, Ime said, “I want to apologize to our players, our fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family for letting them down. I’m sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”