“You Own Me Now and I Own You?”:Nia Long Confessed Reason for Not Marrying Ime Udoka, Who Cheated With Celtics Owner’s Wife

Hollywood actress Nia Long of ‘Friday’ fame explained why she chose not to marry disgraced Celtics coach Ime Udoka.

Nia Long is a fairly successful Hollywood superstar. Her role in ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ as Lisa Wilkes turned her into a household.

Especially amongst African American communities Nia Long commanded an impressive fan following. But her success and fame have come to haunt her in the past few days.

Since Ime Udoka was found to be cheating, Long has been under a constant scanner. With each new story unfolding, the actress has found herself deeper and deeper in the rabbit hold.

Amid the scandal, it seems Nia and Udoka’s relationship is done. The two got engaged in 2016 but never married each other.

In an exclusive with Essence, Nia Long explained her decision to not get married.

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Nia Long was not fond of marriage as an institution

In 2020, when Udoka was still an assistant coach and not embroiled in a sensational scandal, Nia Long gave an exclusive interview to Essence. In it, she relayed her reasons for staying unmarried.

While the couple, perhaps former couple now, engaged in 2016, they never planned to get married.

Nia claimed that love did not need marriage for sustenance. She believed that the innate ownership attached to it made it less desirable.

Nia: “Love is complicated, let’s just start there. And then you start a marriage, which I’ve never been married. And there’s a reason for that because I don’t know that I need to say ‘I do’ to prove to you that I love you. But also, what does marriage really [mean]… that you own me now and I own you? I don’t get that part.”

In hindsight, Long’s decision saved her from a very messy divorce. Because, what Ime Udoka did, guaranteed a separation.

It wasn’t just a single act of infidelity. Ime was involved with multiple women, and one of them happened to be married to a powerful man.

Ime Udoka cheated with a Boston Celtics’ minor owner’s wife

As per latest allegations, Udoka was involved first with a travel planner. After their affair was uncovered, instead of stopping, Ime found another partner.

This time around, he chose to start an affair with a minority reporter. Though the name or report is yet to be confirmed, it’s fair to assume that the coach overreached.

A one season wonder, it’s very likely Ime Udoka will never coach again. Do you think the punishment is justified?

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