January 30, 2023
Nia Long Has Her Eyes On ‘One Person’ After Split From Ime Udoka
Nia Long is “so single” and ready to mingle with “one person” who has caught the actress’s eyes following her split from NBA coach Ime Udoka.
The You People actress appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show Friday where she opened up about dating in wake of her messy breakup with Udoka after he was caught having an affair with a Boston Celtics staffer.
“I’m so single,” Long, who split from Udoka last month after 13 years together, declared.
Barrymore went on to ask The Best Man star if she was happy staying single or looking to re-enter the dating scene. Long, 52, responded by sharing how “free” she feels nearly two months after parting ways with her ex-fiancé.
“I’m still processing. I feel very free. I feel liberated. I feel like a whole weight was lifted off of me in a way,” Long said.
Barrymore made a joke comparing Long’s analogy of losing weight to losing “a couple hundred pounds in the form of a human.”
“It’s so good, like I’m wearing my old jeans again,” Nia quipped before referencing all the dating rumors that have followed her since she became single.
“I’ll say that I gotta be careful who I stand next to on a red carpet because I’ve dated like five or six people that I don’t even know their middle f—ing name,” Long jokingly said. “I’m like, ‘How is this my boyfriend?’ ‘Wow, this is very interesting. I don’t even know this guy’s middle name, and he’s my new man.'”
When the conversation transitioned to the topic of dating, Long was honest about having a secret crush on a special someone.
“I have my eye on one person,” she teased. “I’m not saying. I’m never telling.”
Long and Udoka called it quits in December after 13 years together. Udoka was suspended from his coaching position with the Celtics because of his cheating scandal. Long and Udoka share their son Kez Sunday Udoka, 11. The actress recently fueled dating rumors after recently being spotted out with Terrence J in Dubai and holding hands with singer Omarion at the red carpet premiere of You People on Jan. 17.