The actress is focused on motherhood after her longtime partner was suspended by the Boston Celtics.
Nia Long is focused on motherhood.
The actress is all smiles in a selfie posted this week, snuggled up with her sons Kez, 10, and Massai, 21. The snap marks Long's first photo of herself since news broke that her longtime partner, Ime Udoka, was suspended as head coach of the Boston Celtics for violating team policies.
Udoka has apologized after allegations surfaced in which he was accused of engaging in an intimate relationship with a female member of the team's staff. A relationship with the unnamed staff member is reportedly against the franchise's code of conduct. The 45-year-old coach has been suspended for the entire 2022-2023 season.
In her new post, Long and her two boys appear happy and relaxed. The 51-year-old Friday actress leans her head on Kez's shoulder and flashes a bright smile as hair falls into her eyes. Kez makes a silly face while sticking his tongue out and Massai shares a happy grin.
Long spoke out on the allegations against Udoka on Sept. 23, shortly after he broke his own silence on the situation.
"The outpouring of love and support from family, friends and the community during this difficult time means so much to me," Long said in a statement issued to ET. "I ask that my privacy be respected as I process the recent events. Above all, I am a mother and will continue to focus on my children."
A source previously told ET that the unnamed female staff member with whom Udoka was involved with was married, and their relationship was revealed due to the staffer's doorbell camera at her home.
The source said she took a call from Udoka outside her home and the doorbell camera picked up the conversation, exposing the affair.
The source told ET that Long, who had been engaged to Udoka for nearly a decade, was blindsided by the cheating allegations. The source claimed Long knew the female staffer, had spoken to her multiple times and even worked with her after the Celtics had started their investigation.
The source added that Long had no idea about the cheating until the Celtics announced Udoka’s suspension. Long recently moved to Boston, but was said to be packing up to leave in light of the affair and Udoka’s suspension from coaching.
Earlier this month, Long offered a message on mental health via her Instagram page.
"A tip for mental health," the post reads, "learn to distinguish who deserves an explanation, who deserves one answer, and who deserves absolutely nothing."
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