Nia Long poses for Playboy, reveals relationship status after being dragged through NBA cheating scandal

Nia Long didn’t hold back while “getting sexy” for Playboy‘s Spring 2026 issue.The actress, who tends to keep her personal life under wraps, explained that she’s a “big fan” of dating younger men and what she’s looking for in a partner — four years after her public split from former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, whose alleged affair with a female Boston team staff member was exposed in September 2022.“I’m a big fan of this.I love it.

Why not?” Long, 55, said of spending time with younger men, later adding that she is not on Raya, the exclusive, membership-based dating app used among celebrities.“I can’t be on Raya because I wouldn’t even keep up.They’ll be like, ‘She’s flaky! Get her off of here!’“I’m so picky.

I’m really picky.I do like younger, though.

I think there’s something fun about younger.And they also go home.” When asked if she’s dating, Long said, “I can’t even answer that question.

I probably shouldn’t answer that question.“‘Am I ‘dating?’ I don’t like that word.” Long explained that she doesn’t like the term “dating” because she’s not focused on looking for a partner right now.

“I feel like that requires me to go out and do something,” she said of dating.“I do think that if you’re looking for a partner, you have to be actively out there in order to meet.

But I am not in that space right now.“I’m really focused on my kids, my work, and my girlfriends, and going out and having a good time.

… I like to get up and do what I want to do when I want to do it.It’s not that I don’t want to have a partner, but I was in a relationship for a very long time and I’m enjoying getting to know myself without feeling the need to be of service to a relationship.

I want to be of service to myself, to my children, and to my career.And when the right man comes along [whom] I choose to commit to, then perhaps he will be of service to me.

See, here’s the thing with me....