Nia Long is still tying up some loose ends after ending her 13-year relationship with former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. The former pair began dating in 2011, got engaged in 2015, and parted ways late last year.
The “Best Man” actress has launched what may turn into an ugly custody battle against her ex-fiancé and the father of her youngest son, Kez, a year after Udoka’s highly publicized cheating scandal.
Long filed for primary physical and legal custody of the 11-year-old in August, requesting a judge order Udoka his own visitation schedule and to pay all of her attorney fees.
She filed a “Petition to Determine Parental Relationship” months after moving out of the home they recently purchased in Boston near Udoka’s job at the time, which he later lost to a suspension before ultimately being fired. He subsequently landed a new NBA job in April as head coach of the Houston Rockets.
A new report from RadarOnline states that the “You People” star had Udoka served with child support documents one afternoon in August while at his rented $ 12,000-a-month home in Los Angeles. She demands the judge presiding over her case establish the Houston Rockets head coach as Kez’s father, alleging that he has “failed to support” their only child together.
Long has a 22-year-old son, Massai Dorsey II, from a previous relationship. Another request is that Udoka establishes a “reasonable visitation” schedule that is “consistent with the child’s best interest.”
TMZ is reporting that Nia Long wants primary custody of son, because Rockets coach Ime Udoka is “currently not supporting their child”. pic.twitter.com/ZiHHEirF85
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 22, 2023
But it looks like Udoka may be fighting some of Long’s requests after demanding joint legal and physical custody of Kez. In light of his response, fans online have connected the “Missing” star’s latest Instagram post to the current battle with her ex.
“Sometimes the Universe tests you the most when you’re close to a new chapter,” read a meme Long shared on Sept. 15.
“Absolutely!! Be strong!” replied former BET CEO Debra Lee in Long’s comment section. Here’s what others had to say.
“Say that again.”
“Totally agree! This new chapter is taking a long time to start. Lots of plot twists and turns.”
“@iamnialong leave that old chapter behind and just start the new one.”
Meanwhile, X fans had other things to say about Udoka’s response to Long’s request. One tweeted, “Why do they want full custody when they went half on a bby.” A second said, “Oh he ready to fight.”
Three months after Udoka’s cheating scandal with a fellow Boston Celtics organization member went public, the 52-year-old officially separated from him.
The scandal blindsided sports fans and fans of Long who caught her dancing for joy after the Celtic won the NBA’s Eastern Conference Championship against the Miami Heat months before in June 2022. She purchased a 3.7 million dollar home in Los Angeles for herself and her two boys.
Udoka has expressed his regrets for his actions that led to the demise of the family unit he and Long had built over the years. Meanwhile, the “Love Jones” star has been focused on herself and embracing life now as a single woman.
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