Nia Long 'Will Always Speak My Truth' Amid Custody Battle With Ime Udoka

Nia Long continues to pique fans' curiosity with cryptic posts amid her custody battle with ex-fiancé Ime Udoka!

The sensational actress and her former beau called it quits in 2022 after the basketball coach's cheating scandal with a Boston Celtics staff member came to light. Following the dissolution of their romance, the pair have been in a heated war over rights to their only child, a son named Kez.

The "Boyz n the Hood" star got her X followers thinking in the early hours of Tuesday morning with a cryptic tweet. Although she gave zero hints about who inspired her message, the entertainer's words could reference her ongoing custody battle with Udoka, given the timing.

Seemingly hinting at a nondisclosure agreement in the case, the TV personality revealed she was disinterested in keeping things hidden. According to Long, she would always raise her voice to say the things that might make others uncomfortable. The 52-year-old's tweet read:

"If someone asks you to sign a NDA to have a conversation, what are they protecting? Who are they protecting? I will always speak my truth and tell my story. Things that make you say Hmmmm."

The "Soul Food" actress's words sparked mixed reactions from her followers, with some supporting the use of NDAs while others labeled it a dishonest approach. An individual cited Proverbs 11:13 NLT, writing: "They are protecting themselves... and you. 'A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.'"

Another fan noted, "Oh naw, that means the person is been dishonest about something & it shows a lot of 'Red Flags' I would run & don't look back."

As stated, Nia Long's message comes amid her custody battle with Udoka. The former Boston Celtics coach fired back at his ex-fiancée with a joint custody plea for Kez after the "Friday" star filed for full rights to the child.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the Nigerian-American native requested to share physical and legal custody of his son. If granted, Udoka would have the same authority as Long regarding the boy's medical treatment, schooling, and religion.

The former basketball player would also have a 50% time share with Kez.  Despite fighting to have joint custody of Kez, Udoka did not mind letting the boy live with Long. In the court documents, the NBA star marked the box for “visitation,” which meant he was willing to spend time with his son during off days or summer breaks while the child stayed with his mother.

This move could be because of the former athlete's new position as head coach of the Houston Rockets. Udoko would have to spend most of his time in Texas and possibly on the road with the basketball team.

The basketball coach's joint custody plea came in response to Long's full custody suit for the 11-year-old in August. In her filing, Long compromised by not cutting her ex completely from their son's life and asked the court to grant him visitation rights.

Following Udoka's response to her filing, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" actress seemingly sent a message to her ex-fiancé. Days after Udoka asked for joint custody of their son, the entertainer shared a cryptic quote.

“Sometimes the Universe tests you the most when you’re close to a new chapter,” the American Black Film Festival Award winner penned in her Instagram post. Long is no doubt willing to go the extra mile to secure her new chapter with celebrity attorney Samantha Spector in her corner.

The "blackAF" star enlisted the famous lawyer's services to fight for full custody of her son. The New Yorker's desire to be in control of Kez's well-being might be because of the emotional turmoil the child experienced over his father's infidelity. 

Long previously revealed that her son had been devastated by Udoka's cheating scandal. “He still has moments where it’s not easy for him,” the mother of two recalled, noting she pulled the boy out of school when the affair went viral.

“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” the actress lamented in an interview. The NBA team had blown the whistle about Udoka's cheating in a statement, announcing they had fired the 46-year-old.