Nia Long has named the woman allegedly at the center of the cheating scandal with her ex-fiancé Ime Udoka.
The 52-year-old actress shared a clip from the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, in which host Yaba Blay detailed the difference in reaction to white women’s pain compared to that of Black women, alongside a caption that read, “Where was this level of awareness a year ago @celtics ??? #kathleenlynch.”
In the post, Long called Udoka’s alleged mistress by name for the first time since news of their affair was made public by the Boston Celtics organization in September 2022. “Thank you @yabablay for your fearlessness and speaking facts for all of us”, she continued. “This is such an important conversation that needs to be heard and understood.”
At the time of the affair, the Celtics protected the identity of Kathleen Lynch, while failing to honor the privacy of Long and the child she shares with Udoka, 11-year-old Kez. The Soul Food actress had been dating the former Celtics head coach since 2010, before confirming their separation in December 2022.
Long, also mother to 22-year-old Massai from a previous relationship, had relocated to Boston to be close to Udoka weeks before rumors began to circulate of an alleged affair between him and another member of the team’s organization. Allegedly, Lynch coordinated travel for the team and their families, including overseeing the relocation of Long and the couple’s son.
The actress previously called out the Celtics for making her family’s most difficult moments available for public consumption, while ignoring the harm they caused, in an interview with 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,” Long said. “It was devastating, and it still is. 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.”
Long was honored for her contributions to TV and film during the 22nd annual ChangeMakers Gala in May 2023 and announced plans to release a memoir
that will chronicle her long-running career. Udoka was suspended for the entirety of the 2022-23 NBA season before being fired by the Celtics. He is now the head coach of the Houston Rockets.RELATED CONTENT: A Nia Long Memoir Is On The Horizon With Promise Of ‘Truth And Transparency’