Nia Long’s infectious smile has been melting the hearts of fans since she first appeared in “Boyz n the Hood” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” in the early ’90s. Over the course of those three decades, it’s only fair that people have been curious about the megastar’s love life. While much of her dating history took place before social media and internet coverage, her longtime romance with Ime Udoka made headlines this past September for an unfortunate reason.
Amid their 12-year relationship, ESPN reported that Udoka had engaged in an intimate relationship with a woman Boston Celtics staff member while he was serving as head coach. Shortly after, the NBA team announced that they had suspended Udoka, citing “violations of team policies.”
After the news made headlines, Udoka expressed his regret in a statement to ESPN’s Malika Andrews, saying, “I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down. I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”
Udoka and Long have one child together, a son named Kez Sunday Udoka, who was born in 2011. On Dec. 6, Long’s rep confirmed to POPSUGAR that she and Udoka had split. In a separate statement to People, Long’s rep added that she and Udoka are “no longer together but remain fully committed to co-parenting their son [Kez].”
In addition to Udoka, Long has dated other public figures over the years. Keep reading for a look at the actor’s dating history.
Getty / Ron Galella
Massai Z. Dorsey (1991)
Back when Long first got her big break, she was briefly engaged to the actor. The former couple share an adult son, Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, whom they welcomed in 2000.
Getty / Johnny Nunez
T.I. (2005)
Long and the rapper were rumored to have dated in 2005, during which she accompanied him to his star-studded 25th birthday bash at Mr.Chow in New York City in September. The following month, the duo attended the post-Vibe Awards dinner hosted by Mary J. Blige.
Getty / Shareif Ziyadat
Dwight Freeney (2006)
Long and the former NFL player were briefly linked in 2006. During that time, they stepped out together for at least two events together, though not much else is known about their relationship.
Getty / Chad Buchanan
Cuttino Mobley (2007)
Photos of Long and the former NBA player date back to 2003, though talk of them dating didn’t start until 2007. During that year, the two attended multiple events together, including Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and a Golden Globes afterparty.
Getty / Johnny Nunez
Kevin Phillips (2008)
While not much is known about their relationship, the two were linked back in the mid-2000s.
Getty / Paul Archuleta
Ime Udoka (2010-2022)
After a string of shorter relationships, Long settled down with Udoka, whom she met in 2010 and got engaged to in 2015. Following news of his alleged infidelity in 2022, the longtime couple split, Long’s rep confirmed to POPSUGAR in December.
Prior to their split, Long opened up about the most devastating part of Udoka’s highly-publicized rumored affair, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public.”
