The news that Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is facing a possible season-long suspension for violating team rules over a romantic relationship with a team staffer sparked questions about not just whether he cheated on his long-term girlfriend, actress Nia Long, but also with whom he did so.

Shortly after the bombshell reports from a pair of renowned and trusted NBA insiders, photos of Allison Feaster began populating social media timelines and purporting to identify the Celtics staffer with whom Udoka reportedly had an “an improper intimate and consensual relationship,” as Shams Charania of the Athletic tweeted early Thursday morning.

Studied at Harvard
5th overall pick

46 Years old!!!?

WNBA All-Star (2004)
4× First-team All-Ivy (1995–98)
3× Ivy League Player of the year (1996–1998)
Ivy League Rookie of the Year (1995)

Allison Feaster, Boston Celtics Staff (allegedly had an affair with Ime Udoka) pic.twitter.com/nZVjAcX4jg

— CHAOS McBlur (@McBlur2) September 22, 2022

While the staffer’s identity has not been confirmed, here’s what we know about Feaster.

Identified on the Celtics’ website as Vice President, Player Development and Organizational Growth, Feaster is a former basketball standout who starred at Harvard University and was the 5th overall pick in the 1998 WNBA draft.

The married 46-year-old South Carolina native set a state scoring record in high school before starring for the Harvard Crimson from 1994 to 1998. Feaster averaged nearly 29 points per game her senior season at Harvard, setting the stage for an 18-year professional career that included playing for multiple teams in Europe in addition to the WNBA. She retired in 2016 before enrolling in the NBA’s Basketball Operations Associate Program.

“It really prepared me for the role I’m doing now,” Feaster said in 2017 about her then-job working in NBA’s developmental G-League operations.

That ultimately led to her accepting her current position with the Celtics in 2020.

ICYMI: Celtics VP of Player Development & Organizational Growth Allison Feaster talks about what the league has done in recent years to put more women in NBA front offices @OnHerTurf#HerstorytimeNBCU pic.twitter.com/AiYCXZSgXR

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 21, 2022

Sports Illustrated called Feaster a “Harvard legend” who rightfully earned a place in the Celtics’ front office with a position in which she is entering her fourth season.

From SI:

When Feaster joined the Celtics, her responsibilities were centered on two things: player development and bettering the organization overall by identifying areas of growth and opportunity. She focuses on these duties by helping players maximize their opportunities on and off court by featuring different resources available for them to do so within the Celtics organization and acting as a liaison between the Celtics and the league office. Now, three years later, Feaster’s commitments have grown to, what she calls, “basically do[ing] whatever needs to be done, especially from the directive of our president… I’m the cultural ambassador for the organization.”

Notably, SI also reported that Feaster “works closely with … head coach Ime Udoka.”

Feaster was pictured sitting next to Udoka during a Celtics summer league game in July.

#Celtics collective on hand for SL includes Ime Udoka, Allison Feaster, Brad Stevens, Mike Zarren and Austin Ainge. pic.twitter.com/qUlDuwOX00

— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) July 9, 2022

In addition, Feaster serves as the co-lead of the Boston Celtics United social justice initiative that, according to its website, emphasizes “combating issues that have impacted the Black community as a result of the nation’s long-term history of systemic racism.”

A recent Instagram post from Feaster shared video footage showing recipients of grants to local Black business owners courtesy of a partnership involving Boston Celtics United.

“The Power Forward Small Business Grant program aims to create a lasting impact through the economic empowerment of Black-owned small businesses across New England. Through a combined commitment of $1 million, @vistaprintand the @celtics Shamrock Foundation are teaming up with the @naacp to award transformative grants of $25,000 on a rolling basis,” Feaster wrote with the video posted to Instagram on Sept. 15. “Through this initiative, grant recipients will have opportunities to be featured on co-branded platforms along with receiving marketing and design resources customized to their specific needs to help their business grow and thrive.”

Feaster explained to SI the importance of that particular role.

“We came together as an organization, hearing from our players, our ownership group, senior leaders in the organization formulate a response,” Feaster said. “It’s really a challenge because there’s so much work to do, but at the same time, we’re just trying to chip away and in small areas.”

Feaster is married to her high school sweetheart and former college basketball star Danny Strong, according to a website for a North Carolina high school basketball team that identifies him as the head coach.

Feaster posted an Instagram photo that featured herself smiling alongside Strong less than a month ago.

The Wake County Public Schools athletics website also said Feaster and Strong have a daughter named Sarah.

SEE ALSO:

Here Are All The Black Executives And General Managers In The NFL

The Evolving Landscape Of HBCU Athletics

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