Ime Udoka has been in the headlines for the past couple of days, and for all the bad reasons. After the news of his alleged romance with a Boston Celtics staffer spread like wildfire, the 45-year-old landed himself in hot water. Upon violating the franchise’s code of conduct, the coach was suspended for the 2022-23 NBA season. This all unfolded after a season where the Celtics, under his tutelage, made it to the NBA Finals.

Udoka’s fiance, Nia Long, finds herself entangled in the thick of it all. In fact, she was recently seen in public for the first time since reports of Udoka’s reported affair broke.

Long, who was with her son Kez, was asked how was she holding up in the midst of the drama. However, the 51-year-old actress refused to comment. When asked if she and Udoka were working things out, she just laughed and walked straight to her car.

Long had kept a low profile since the news of her fiance’s alleged infidelity surfaced. As per TMZ, she didn’t seem to be wearing her engagement ring. However, the outlet noted that she doesn’t always wear it when out and about.

After the news that the head coach is going to be suspended surfaced, Nia Long expressed her gratitude for the love and support she received. She expressed that the outpouring of love meant a great deal to her. She did, however, urge everyone to respect her privacy.

What’s next for the Boston Celtics following the Ime Udoka saga?

Three months ago, the city of Boston was in a state of jubilation. Ime Udoka, who took over the helm last year, guided the franchise to an NBA Finals appearance. His coaching philosophy and ability to manage star talent impressed fans; nevertheless, everything has since taken a nosedive.

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Udoka is at the crux of the drama, having been suspended for the 2022/23 season. This begs the question of where the Boston Celtics go from here. Interestingly, in Udoka’s unavailability, the franchise will entrust and turn to assistant coach Joe Mazzulla.

Mazzulla, at the tender age of 34, has a tall task lying ahead of him. He’ll be entrusted with overseeing a franchise that is coming off an impressive Finals run and a squad brimming with star talent.

Celtics supporters will be gnawing their nails, nervous about how things will play out this season. They can be hopeful, though, since Mazzulla is well-liked within the organization and is renowned for his player development.

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How will the Boston Celtics fare in the upcoming season? Please share your thoughts in the comments?section below.