Nia Lengthy Slams Boston Celtics For Revealing Ex-Fiancé Ime Udoka’s Affair

In a brand new interview with The Lower for its February cowl story, the actress expressed her frustration over the group’s determination to publicly talk about the NBA coach’s inappropriate relationship.

Consequently, the Celtics suspended Udoka for at the least a 12 months, and Lengthy and Udoka cut up after 13 years collectively.

“The Celtics made a option to make my household enterprise public, and I do not perceive why,” Lengthy, 52, informed The Lower. “It may’ve all been dealt with internally. I do perceive why, however I can not speak about it. Possibly in the future I’ll. You realize, worry drives stupidity, and I am going to depart that proper there. I’ve discovered that I am stronger than I ever thought I used to be.”

The “You Folks” star — who shares 11-year-old son Kez with Udoka — mentioned her son is her “solely focus” in the mean time, noting that he is “having a very robust time.”

“I am certain I’ve some issues that I am suppressing, however I’ve to do this to care for him first,” she added. “That is the giving. It is pure. I am certain I am going to should circle again with myself a number of occasions to reconcile issues. However the one factor I am making an attempt to not harbor is anger.”

Lengthy went on to share that it is not laborious for her to debate the scandal, however she does not “wanna speak about it as a result of it is private and I’m nonetheless figuring it out.”

She added, “I am nonetheless going, ‘Wait, did this actually occur?’ As a result of, you understand, you are with somebody for 12, 13 years, you suppose you understand them.”

Nonetheless, the “Boyz n the Hood” actress mentioned she’s grateful for the assist she’s acquired, sharing that it “saved my life.”

“It saved my psychological well-being as a result of I felt uplifted by the neighborhood in a method that felt like my household was checking in and ensuring I used to be okay,” Lengthy informed The Lower. “And that, I appreciated. I’ve that for folks like Beyoncé. I have a look at her, and I am so pleased with her as a result of I understand how troublesome it’s to maintain and handle every little thing she has in her life. My life might be a smaller model of that.”

She added that she believes “race issues” in terms of how the general public will rally behind somebody.

“Black ladies which can be dynamic and well-known and there to encourage are additionally required to be distinctive, and generally I simply get uninterested in being robust. That is my greatest factor: I don’t need to should be robust. I wish to simply have an expertise that is nice,” Lengthy defined. “However the distinction comes all the way down to race. Race issues and makes a distinction in your experiences and the best way folks deal with you, respect you, and regard you — and the best way folks shield you. Malcolm X mentioned the least protected individual in America is the Black girl. That quote resonates large time in my life proper now.”

When requested if she’s “a crier” and “embrace[s]” these feelings, Lengthy admitted, “Oh my God, I cry. I do not cry as a lot as I used to. I do not know if that’s a superb or unhealthy factor, however I do verify in with myself and let folks know the way I really feel, for higher or worse. ‘Trigger I’m not holding on to nonsense.”

“I am additionally not passive-aggressive,” she added. “I say it and generally it’s acquired, generally it’s not, however in any case, it’s my fact.”

In September, the Boston Celtics introduced Udoka had been suspended for the 2022-23 season for “violations of group insurance policies” following experiences that the coach had an affair with a feminine worker. 

A few months after the information of the scandal broke, it was reported that Lengthy and Udoka had known as it quits after 13 years collectively.

Whereas chatting with The Hollywood Reporter in December, Lengthy broke her silence on the scandal, calling the information “devastating.”

“I believe essentially the most heartbreaking factor about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics group determined to make a really personal state of affairs public,” she mentioned on the time.

Lengthy and Udoka began relationship in 2010. The 2 welcomed son Kez the next 12 months, and have become engaged in 2015.

Throughout an look on “The Drew Barrymore Present” final month, Lengthy shared her ideas on relationship, and revealed her present relationship standing following her cut up from Udoka.

“I’ve my eye on one individual,” she teased, including that she’s going to stay tight-lipped in regards to the thriller man. “I am not saying. I am by no means telling.”