Nia Long’s ex-fiancé, Ime Udoka, opposes the actress’s request for primary custody of their 11-year-old son. According to court documents obtained by Radar Online, Long filed for physical and legal custody of her son, Kez Sunday Udoka, last month, because Udoka reportedly “failed’ to support the boy. Udoka finally responded to Long’s petition and told the courts he wanted to receive joint custody instead.
In the filed response, Ime has demanded joint legal and physical custody through the Los Angeles Superior Court. The Nigerian-American NBA coach is also fighting for visitation rights alongside the altered custody agreement.
Long’s initial filing included a “Petition to Determine Parental Relationship” as well as a request for Udoka to cover all of her legal fees associated with the scandal just a few months after Udoka was publicly revealed to be having an affair with a female co-worker for NBA team Boston Celtics, where he had been head coach since 2021.
Long wrote that her ex-fiance “failed to support their child.” So he should be restricted to having “reasonable visitation…consistent with the child’s best interest” while she maintains primary custody of Kez. The request also included that Udoka should be ordered by the court to cover all of her legal bills accrued from the case.
Udoka’s response requests that both parties cover their own individual legal costs.
The former couple’s relationship ended publicly after Long announced that they were splitting after 13 years together. Udoka was suspended from his former position with the Boston Celtics for reported “multiple policy violations.” Just a few weeks after the suspension, it was revealed that Udoka was actually involved romantically with one of his co-workers. Following the immediate split, Long’s representation said that although she and Udoka were no longer together, they would “remain fully committed to co-parenting their son.”
At the time, the cheating scandal grew so big that Long had to pull Kez from school to avoid the overwhelming spotlight and drama.
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