Kez Sunday Udoka: Ime Udoka Son With Wife Nia Long | Net Worth 2022

After being transported to Boston by coincidence for work-related reasons in 2010, the actress from “Fatal Affair” and the former professional basketball player first crossed paths in the city.

A common friend brought them together, and from that moment on, they were inseparable. This was the case even though Udoka’s NBA coaching jobs took him to cities such as San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn. Long’s acting career required her to film in various locations across the country.

After the birth of their son in November 2011, Long and Udoka announced their engagement in June of the following year. Later on, in June 2021, the two individuals went back to Boston once more, but this time it was with Udoka serving as the head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Ime Udoka and Nia Long started dating in February 2010 after being introduced to one another by a familiar acquaintance.

An acquaintance introduced Ime Udoka and Nia Long in February 2010

According to Boston Globe, Long, and Udoka, working as a professional basketball players at the time for the Sacramento Kings, first crossed paths in Boston in February of 2010.

Long and Udoka were in the city simultaneously to work on separate projects when a familiar acquaintance introduced them. Long was shooting a pilot for NBC while Udoka was competing against the Boston Celtics.

The NBA star and the former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress talked throughout the entirety of their first date in the hotel lobby, which lasted until one in the morning. The following evening, they went to a restaurant in the North End of Boston that served Italian cuisine. Almost immediately after that, they started dating each other.

Nia Long and Ime Udoka announced their first child on June 17, 2011

Long and Udoka announced that they were having their first child together.

While Massai, Long’s son from a previous relationship, would make Long a mother for the second time, the baby that Udoka would carry would be her first child.

Nia Long “begged God” for her pregnancy with Udoka

According to what the actress has said, Long’s visit to the doctor initially left her with little chance of having children with her partner Udoka.

Despite the news from the physician, the couple continued to hold out hope that they would be able to grow their family.

Nia and Udoka have a son, born on November 7, 2011

On Sunday, November 7, 2011, a representative for the actress announced that Long and Udoka became parents to a newborn boy whom they called Kez.

Long, who had just turned 41 a week before the delivery of Kez, now has two children of her own. She has always been open and loud about her determination to ignore the expectations put on her by society and physicians to start a family by a particular age.

In August 2012, Nia Long said marriage was not a priority in their relationship

In August of 2012, Long disclosed to Udoka that she and she would not be tying the knot anytime soon.

Although Udoka’s profession as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs resulted in hectic schedules and a significant amount of time spent traveling, the couple’s relationship was not negatively impacted due to the former’s circumstances.

Long discussed how she maintains a healthy balance between her professional and personal life when appearing on the cover of the April 2014 issue of Essence magazine.

In addition to acting in Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club, the actress was busy parenting her two young boys and was in a committed relationship with Udoka.

She said her hectic schedule makes her appreciate her time with her family.

The engagement between Udoka and Nia Long was confirmed on May 26, 2015.

Udoka and Long got engaged after being together for five years and having one kid, according to a representative for the actress.

The actress from Boyz in the Hood was seen wearing a substantial diamond ring on her left hand, which led to speculation that she was engaged. The central stone of the engagement ring seemed to be a significant pear-shaped stone, apparently set on a band of diamonds.

After becoming engaged, Long and Udoka did not immediately start making preparations to walk down the aisle.

Nia Long announced on December 6, 2020, that she and her fiance Ime Udoka may never get married

Long disclosed this information on the “Yes Girl” podcast that Essence produces. The couple does not currently have any definite plans to be married.

The actress stated that the pair, who has been together for almost a decade, does not require the titles of husband and wife to know they are in a successful partnership. This is because they have been together for so long.

On November 7, 2011, Ime Udoka and Nia Long became parents to their son Kez Sunday.

Kez was Long’s second child. She has a son from her previous relationship too. 

Long and Udoka took a family portrait together with Kez, who was turning 8, and his older brother Massai to commemorate the occasion of Kez’s eighth birthday. Long uploaded the photo to her Twitter account.

The photograph depicted Kez’s family of four celebrating his birthday with a Stranger Things-themed party. The festivities included matching T-shirts, a cake, and a birthday celebration.

Long’s mother, Talita Longa, was a teacher and printmaker, and her father, Doughtry Long, was a high school teacher and poet.

The actress was born in Brooklyn, New York City. Her mother’s family is originally from Trinidad and Tobago. She is also related to Sommore, a famous actress and comedian who is her elder half-sister.

When Long’s parents split up, she was only two years old. When her mother relocated to Iowa City, Iowa, to pursue a career in the fine arts, she took her daughter with her.

When Long was only seven, her mother moved the family to South Los Angeles since it was where she intended to be married. Talita decided to remain in Los Angeles when she and her fiance decided to call off the wedding. Trenton, New Jersey, was where Long’s father made his home.

She attended St. Mary’s Academy in Inglewood, California, after completing the third through sixth grades at Paseo Del Rey Elementary School in Playa Del Rey, South Los Angeles. She also took courses in ballet, tap, and jazz, as well as gymnastics, guitar, and acting, in addition to her scholastic studies.

In 1989, she received her diploma from Westchester High School in Los Angeles.

Ime Udoka’s birthday is August 9, and he was born in Portland, Oregon.

He studied at Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon.
Before going to Portland State University and becoming a standout for the Vikings, the professional basketball player competed for Utah State University Eastern and the University of San Francisco.

Before making a move, he was a member of both teams.

After being selected with the 39th overall choice in the 2002 NBDL Draft, Udoka started his journey as a skilled basketball player with the Charleston Lowgators of the National Basketball Development League (NBDL).

On January 14, 2004, Udoka was called to play with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, he was eventually dismissed later that day.

After living for a while in Europe, he returned to the US and started playing in the NBDL again. In the 2005 NBDL Draft, Fort Worth Flyers selected him with the third overall pick. When Udoka was with the Flyers, he recorded 17.1 points and 6.2 rebounds on average per game.

The New York Knicks officially announced the signing of Udoka on April 6, 2006. On September 11, 2006, the Knicks exercised their right to waive Udoka.

Udoka was the final player invited to the Portland Trail Blazers training camp prior to the 2006–07 season. He received the invitation only because Aaron Miles was unable to pass a medical examination. Udoka plays for the team in his hometown of Portland.

Udoka’s defensive prowess won over the coaching staff during the preseason, and he was selected for the team even though his father had passed away during the previous season.

Udoka started in 75 of the 76 games that he participated in during the 2006–2007 NBA season, despite having only played in 12 games prior to that. He averaged 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game in 28.6 minutes of each contest in which he participated.

Udoka agreed to terms with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and inked a deal with the team. He participated in 73 games and had an average of 5.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 18 minutes played per game.

Udoka participated in 67 games during his second season with the Spurs, of which he started three of them. In 15.4 minutes a game he played, he had an average of 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds.

Udoka was able to become a free agent following the conclusion of the 2009 season and ultimately decided to re-sign with the Trail Blazers. The Blazers released him on October 22, 2009, but he quickly found a new home with the Sacramento Kings, where he joined on November 4, 2009.

His career with the Kings lasted 69 games, during which he recorded an average of 3.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 13.7 minutes played. Udoka returned to the Spurs on November 24, 2010. However, he was released on January 5, 2011, having only played in 20 games since his last stint with the team.

Udoka inked a contract to play with the New Jersey Nets on December 15, 2011. On the other hand, he was released from duty on December 23, 2011. Udoka signed a contract to play with UCAM Murcia in the Spanish Liga ACB in January of 2012.

Udoka began his career in coaching in 2012 when Gregg Popovich recruited him to act as San Antonio Spurs assistant coach. During that time, Udoka worked under Popovich.

San Antonio Spurs (2012 – 2019)

Gregg Popovich brought Udoka aboard as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs when he hired him in August of 2012. After the San Antonio Spurs won the 2014 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat by a score of 4-1, Udoka would earn his first title.

Udoka also had a significant role in LaMarcus Aldridge’s choice to sign with the Spurs in the year 2015. During the first year of Aldridge’s tenure with the Trail Blazers, Udoka and Aldridge were teammates on the same team.

Philadelphia 76ers (2019–2020)

The Philadelphia 76ers hired Udoka in June 2019 to work as an assistant coach for the team. Brett Brown, who is now Udoka’s head coach with the 76ers, formerly worked as an assistant coach with the Spurs under Gregg Popovich, and both Udoka and Brown served on the same coaching staff during the 2012–2013 season.

Brooklyn Nets (2020–2021)

On October 30, 2020, the Brooklyn Nets made the decision to appoint Udoka to the position of assistant coach.

The Celtics of Boston (2021–present)

Udoka was appointed on June 28, 2021, to serve as the head coach of the Boston Celtics, making him the franchise’s fifth head coach of African descent throughout the team’s history.

Although he had an unsatisfactory start to the season, Udoka guided the Celtics to a record of 51-31 and an appearance in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. However, the Celtics were not able to overcome the Golden State Warriors and fell in the series in six games.

Agnes and Vitalis Udoka are the parents of Ime Udoka, who is their son. Vitalis Udoka is from Nigeria.

On August 9, 1977, he was brought into this world. In order to attend Portland State University, he relocated to the United States. Agnes was a native of Illinois and a citizen of the United States. The deaths of both of Udoka’s parents have occurred. Ime Udoka is the youngest of the three children that make up the Udoka family.

James, his elder brother, and Mfon, his older sister, are his older siblings. Mfon’s WNBA career began in 1998 with the Detroit Shock, continued in 2003 with the Houston Comets, and concluded in 2004 with the Los Angeles Sparks.

Additionally, she played basketball in Israel, Turkey, and Spain when she was traveling overseas. She competed for Nigeria at the Summer Olympics in 2004 as well as the FIBA World Championship for Women in 2006.

Although Ime Udoka’s current salary is unknown, it is safe to assume that he has made more in his first season as the head coach of the Celtics than he did in his five seasons as a player in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

On June 28, 2021, the Boston Celtics made him their new head coach after hiring him on the same day. He is the first Nigerian head coach in NBA history and the 18th head coach in the franchise’s long and illustrious history with the Celtics.

The retired athlete has amassed a net worth of $11.5 million over his career. He has racked up a significant fortune throughout the course of his career as a professional basketball player. In addition to that, he makes money from his current job coaching the Boston Celtics.