Nia Long files for full custody of her son with Ime Udoka, claiming the NBA coach fails to provide for their child
- Nia Long and Ime Udoka had been engaged for almost eight years until last year
- It emerged that the NBA coach had an affair with a Celtics employee.
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Nia Long, ex-wife of NBA coach Ime Udoka, filed for primary custody of the couple’s child, saying she was unable to support her son.
The actress and Udoka were engaged but split last year after it emerged the former Boston Celtics coach was having an inappropriate relationship with a colleague, previously revealed to be team service manager Kathleen Nimmo Lynch per DailyMail.com.
Long filed her motion in Los Angeles last week, asking a judge to grant her primary legal and physical custody of their 11-year-old son, Kez, according to TMZ.
She claimed Udoka failed to support Kez, but allegedly asked the judge to grant her a reasonable opportunity to visit her son provided it was “in the best interests of the child”.
No decision on the motion has yet been made and Udoka has not responded.
Nia Long, ex-wife of NBA coach Ime Udoka, filed for primary custody of the couple’s son.
Long and ex-couple’s son Kez returned to LA after Udoka’s suspension
DailyMail.com revealed that the Celtics employee who had an affair with Udoka is Kathleen Nimmo Lynch, the team’s service manager.
On September 23, 2022, Udoka was suspended by the Celtics for the entire 2022-23 season for an inappropriate relationship with Lynch, ultimately costing him his job as interim head coach Joe Mazzulla was given the job of permanently in February.
Udoka had a consensual affair with a female staff member of the Celtics organization. The employee was married with three children when the scandal broke, while Udoka was engaged to Long.
ESPN reported that an independent investigation found Udoka “used foul language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an inappropriate working relationship.”
She served as the team liaison arranging travel, lodging, and game tickets for Celtics family members at home and on the road. It is likely that she even organized Long’s trip.
The actress, who starred in Boyz n the Hood, has since returned to Los Angeles with their son.
However, despite his tattered reputation, Udoka was quick to return to the NBA.
The Rockets announced the 45-year-old defensive guru as their new head coach in April, signing him to a four-year, $28.5 million deal, according to the Houston Chronicle.
After his unveiling in April, Udoka said he and his son went to see a counselor “to help him improve the situation I put him in.”
Udoka was announced as the new head coach of the Houston Rockets in April of this year.
Udoka and Long are pictured with their son Kez (centre) and son Massai Dorsey II (far right)
He added: “I released a statement months ago when it all happened and I apologized to a lot of people for the difficult position I put them in, and I stand by that. . I feel much more remorse, even now, about it.
“I’ve spent this last offseason working on myself in different ways, improving in certain areas, having the opportunity to sit down, reflect and grow, and I think that will make me a better coach and leader.
“But the situation has been resolved and I can’t really talk about it.”
Rockets team owner Tilman Feetitta said he did his due diligence with Udoka before signing him on a lucrative deal.
Udoka added, “As Tilman alluded to, they did their homework on who I am as a person, and I think we spent some quality time together and got to know each other and clicked pretty easily. and quite well.”
