Nia Long files for full custody of her son with Ime Udoka

Nia Long files for full custody of her son nearly one year after Ime Udoka’s cheating scandal

A bearded Ime Udoka with a mask under his chin, in a green shirt, and Nia Long with long black hair, in a black shirt.

By Jonah ValdezStaff Writer

Aug. 22, 2023 1:16 PM PT

Nia Long is seeking full custody of her 11-year-old son with ex-fiancé Ime Udoka, nearly one year since the coach’s affair with a co-worker went public, according to court documents obtained by The Times.

The “Friday” and “You People” actor claimed that the NBA coach has “failed to support” their child and requested that he pay for attorney and legal fees, according to the petition, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Aug. 14.

Attorneys Samantha Spector and Lisa Helfend Meyer filed the petition on behalf of Long. Spector has previously presented Ye, during his divorce proceedings with Kim Kardashian before quitting the case sometime in 2022, as well as Nicole Young, who won a $100 million divorce settlement after Young’s divorce with Dr. Dre. Meyer also represented Young, as well as former Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, who was accused of domestic assault. Spector and Meyer did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment.

Long had split from Udoka after the coach and former NBA player was caught having an affair with a co-worker. The “improper relationship” was made public in September 2022 following a months-long investigation by the Boston Celtics, which Udoka was the head coach of at the time.

Long and Udoka had ended their relationship following nearly 13 years of dating. The pair began dating in 2010 and had been engaged since 2015. Their child, Kez Sunday Long Udoka, was born in 2011.

The team suspended Udoka for the entire season and later fired him this past February. He was hired several months later as the head coach of the Houston Rockets, signing a four-year deal worth $28.5 million, according to Chron.com.

As news of the affair swirled, Long had told the Hollywood Reporter that it was “heartbreaking” to see her “son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public.”

“It was devastating and it still is,” she said in December. “He still has moments where it’s not easy for him. If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK. It’s very disappointing.”

Udoka has since undergone leadership and sensitivity training, in addition to taking counseling with his son “to help him improve the situation that I put him in,” the coach said during a press conference in April where the Rockets introduced him in his new role.

A woman with black hair poses with her son. They are wearing all black.

“Having that time off and, really, a full understanding of how many people you impact by a poor decision, that’s where you start with the ownership and accountability,” Udoka said. “I preach that to the players, and so I have to take responsibility for my part in it.”

Long has said her focus after the breakup is on her family and being a mother to her children. Along with Kez, Long is mother to Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, 22, her son with her ex-fiancé and fellow actor Massai Z. Dorsey.

“My only focus right now is my youngest son ’cause he’s having a really tough time,” Long told the Cut in February. “I’m sure I have some things that I’m suppressing, but I have to do that to take care of him first ... I’m sure I’ll have to circle back with myself several times to reconcile things. But the one thing I’m trying not to harbor is anger.”

Times researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.