Fresh Prince of Bel Air actress Nia Long remained silent when asked if she would make things right with her philandering Boston Celtics fiancé Ime Udoka – and even laughed at the question.
Emerging for the first time since learning of her NBA head coaching partner’s affair with an employee, the 51-year-old star was approached by a photographer in Los Angeles on Saturday to comment on the confirmed infidelity.
Long was not wearing her engagement ring at the time.
Footage of the exchange shows the starlet, dressed all in black, refusing to comment as news of her future husband’s romance with an unnamed collaborator continues to dominate the headlines.
When asked if they are working things out, Long – who was joined by her and Udoka’s 10-year-old son Kez during the encounter – gives an annoyed laugh before walking away and getting in her car.
The exchange took place as Long was leaving a local Whole Foods – and came more than a day after the starlet told TMZ in a statement that she was “blinded” by the affair, which she reportedly only found out about when the Celtics suspended Udoka, 45, on Thursday.
Reasons for the suspension – which will put the staffer out for a full year – were that Udoka, a former player who was set to start his second year as skipper of the Celtics, had a consensual affair with a staff member for breaking ethics rules.
The employee’s identity has yet to be released.
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Emerging for the first time since finding out about her fiancé’s affair, the 51-year-old star was spotted grocery shopping with the couple’s 10-year-old son, Kez, in Los Angeles on Saturday
When asked about the affair, the Fresh Prince of Bel Air actress remained silent, saying, “I’m not going to comment on that right now.”
The starlet dressed all in black and wore shades for the shopping trips, as news of her longtime partner’s romance with an unnamed collaborator continues to grab the headlines
Despite the furore surrounding the confirmed infidelity, Long wore her engagement ring
When asked if the couple would “patch things together,” Long – who played Will Smith’s love interest on ’90s sitcom Beulah Lisa Wilkes and has since starred as the main character in Peacock’s modern reimagining Bel-Air – simply laughed and ignored the question
Long put on a brave face for the interaction after saying in a statement Thursday that she was “caught by surprise” by the affair, which she reportedly learned about through the media coverage
Udoka, the Celtics’ sophomore head coach with a once-stellar reputation, was suspended for the entirety of the upcoming season on Thursday for “multiple” unspecified team rule violations.
In a statement Thursday night, he said: “I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family for letting them down.
“I’m sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation and I accept the team’s decision.
“Out of respect for everyone involved, I will not comment further.”
The Boston Celtics employee, who had an affair with head coach Ime Udoka, was responsible for all of his travel arrangements, even including arranging trips for his fiancée Nia Long
Long with the couple’s 10-year-old son recently
Long, 51, and Udoka, 45, have been together for over a decade. They were shown together at the Barclays Center in New York last August
Disbelief: Nia’s fans and friends tweeted their anger and disbelief on Friday
Udoka is said to have suffered a “substantial fine,” but the amount was not disclosed.
The 45-year-old is said to have had an indecent relationship with an employee.
This woman was not named.
In the team statement appointing assistant Joe Mazzulla as interim coach, Boston said Udoka’s future would be decided “at a later date”.
Long became a household name with her role in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air as Lisa Wilkes, Will Smith’s girlfriend.
She also starred in Boyz In The Hood, Soul Food, and Big Momma’s House.
The popular actress has also been recognized with three NAACP Image Awards and one Black Reel Award.