Being an NBA star has its perks; money, power, celebrity, the list goes on. Among the many benefits of being a star athlete is the opportunity to meet some of the most beautiful, talented, and charming women in the world. Many basketball players have a remarkable dating resume, but these NBA wives and girlfriends put those brief flings to shame.
Here are the famous WAGs behind some of the biggest ballers in the league, both past, and present.
30. Axelle Francine, Tony Parker
Two times in one list? Tony Parker, you dog.
In 2011, the same year Parker divorced Eva Longoria, he began dating journalist Axelle Francine. Both the Spurs point guard and journalist Francine are French. They were engaged by 2013 and married in 2014.
Francine and Parker didn’t just get hitched in 2014, though. That year, they also had their first of two boys, Josh. They welcomed their second son, Liam, in 2016. Let’s hope that the second time’s the charm in this case!
29. Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries
Rumors of conspiracy still echo surrounding the marriage of reality television megastar Kim Kardashian and now-retired NBA veteran Kris Humphries.
Kardashian was married to hip-hop producer Damon Thomas, then dated singer/songwriter Ray J before tying the knot with Humphries in 2010.
So why was their marriage the subject of so much debate? Kardashian and Humphries split shortly after a two-part special on the wedding ceremony aired to a massive television audience.
Then again, people change. While Humphries wasn’t the right man, it seems both he and Kardashian have moved on.
28. Teyana Taylor, Iman Shumpert
Iman Shumpert won an NBA championship in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his wife Teyana Taylor is a celebrity in her own right.
Now an NBA wife, Taylor is also a heavy hitter in the music business. By 2006, Taylor was already entrenched in the industry, choreographing music videos for icons like Beyonce.
Taylor scored a record deal with Pharrell in 2007, then signed onto Kanye West’s label in 2012. Meantime, her choreography earned her various roles in film over the years. In 2014, the multi-talented Taylor released her debut studio album, VII.
27. Nina Westbrook, Russell Westbrook
Look no further than this NBA wife for proof that the saying “behind every great man is a great woman” is true. Behind the NBA’s 2017 MVP award winner Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, a great woman was there through it all.
When The Brodie stepped up to receive the most prestigious award in basketball, he poured his love out for wife Nina Westbrook.
The met at UCLA – where both played college ball – and dated until they officially tied the knot in 2015. The Westbrooks had their first child, Noah, two years later. For a peek into what a perfect marriage looks like, Nina’s IG account is a prime example.
26. Robyn Hayward, Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward of the Boston Celtics may be an All-Star, but he isn’t the only athlete in his family. Before she married the NBA forward in 2014, and took the Hayward name, Robyn Van Vliet was ranked the No. 4 volleyball player in Indiana. She even led her high school to a state championship.
Robyn didn’t choose to pursue her volleyball career at the collegiate level, perhaps getting hitched in December of the same year she graduated high school had something to do with it. She is currently raising their two daughters full time.
25. Meghan Allen, Devin Harris
Many now recognize Meghan Allen as the wife of NBA veteran point guard Devin Harris. But like many NBA wives, Allen turned plenty of heads well before rooting on her husband.
Before family life, Allen was known for her modeling and appearances on reality shows.
Allen actually made her tv debut with a former boyfriend, on a couples edition of “Fear Factor” in 2004. The appearance gained Allen a modeling opportunity with Playboy in 2005; she was later named Cyber Girl of the Month in 2007. Allen had plenty of her own fans – she even first publicly announced that she and Harris were dating on The Howard Stern Show in 2009.
24. Yvette Prieto, Michael Jordan
Hopefully, at least for the sake of Michael Jordan’s accountant, the third time is in fact the charm. Jordan and his first wife Juanita Vanoy filed for divorce in 2002; they reconciled but divorced again in 2006.
Two years later, after parting ways with $168 million as part of the settlement, MJ met Cuban model Yvette Prieto.
Prieto’s modeling career has turned heads and landed her heartthrob boyfriends in the past like Julio Iglesias Jr. But it was her moves on the dance floor in 2008 that had His Airness falling head over heels in love. Fast forward to 2013 and the lovebirds became GOAT and wife.
23. Tamia Hill, Grant Hill
There is no struggle for time in the spotlight with this celebrity NBA couple.
Grant and Tamia Hill have both grown ultra-comfortable on camera, as both have seen incredible success in their respective careers.
Grant Hill has gone from basketball player to commentator to part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks. Meantime, his famous wife has been crushing her music career. Tamia has earned six Grammy nominations as an R&B singer with hit singles like “Stranger in My House” and “Officially Missing You.”
22. LaTasha Marbury, Stephon Marbury
Another member of the “Basketball Wives” family, LaTasha Marbury made her debut on the reality show a tad more “post-NBA” than the other basketball WAGs.
Married to polarizing point guard Stephon Marbury – who was at the head of a wildly dysfunctional 2000s New York Knicks team – since 2002, Mrs. Starbury appeared on Season 5 of the VH1 hit show.
Even though one of the NBA’s favorite villains left the league in 2009, wife LaTasha Marbury was relevant as ever during her time on the show in 2013. Stephon Marbury had turned to the CBA in China to reincarnate his career as a ball god.
Since her husband shot down the idea when an invitation was first extended during the show’s debut season, his absence while playing halfway across the globe made LaTasha’s air time on Season 5 conflict free.
21. Keri Hilson, Serge Ibaka
Many know Keri Hilson by her voice alone, as she’s been pumping out hit singles and vocal appearances for years. The singer/songwriter has dropped plenty of tracks, both with mega music stars and solo. Hilson was featured on Timbaland’s “The Way I Are” in ’07 and released a platinum single “Pretty Girl Rock” in ’16.
In 2012, Hilson hooked up with third-year power forward Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The power couple dated throughout Ibaka’s time in OKC. However, in 2016 Hilson called it off with the newly signed Orlando Magic forward.
20. Kate Bock, Kevin Love
The Cleveland Cavaliers can thank All-Star power forward Kevin Love for playing a large part in the Eastern Conference powerhouse’s success since his arrival from Minnesota in 2014. K-Love has used his successful NBA career to help launch a budding career in the fashion industry.
For support, Love can turn to his stunning girlfriend, Canadian fashion model Kate Bock. The Vancouver-born model has had quite a career, appearing in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue from 2013-17. Between Love appearing as an ambassador for Banana Republic and Bock flaunting her stuff for the likes of Maxim and Victoria’s Secret, this NBA couple is crushing hearts globally.
19. Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant
In November 1999, fourth-year Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was gearing up for what would be his first NBA championship season. While that season will be remembered as the first giant step to cementing the Laker legend’s legacy, it also meant a lot off the court.
This was also when Kobe – who was prepping to launch a music career – met his future wife Vanessa Laine. At the time, Laine was working as a backup dancer for Long Beach Tha Eastsidaz. Six months later, Kobe proposed. We’ll ignore the fact that the end of the six-month wait coincided with Laine’s 18th birthday.
18. Iggy Azalea, Nick Young
This relationship made for quite a story, but much more so for the way it ended than the way it began.
Australian beauty and female rapping phenom Iggy Azalea broke into the mainstream in 2011. Azalea quickly gained a massive following – including one celebrity athlete who played for the Los Angeles Lakers. Iggy Azalea began dating Nick Young, her fan and Lakers shooting guard, by 2013.
In 2015, after Hollywood’s hot new couple had announced their engagement, things took an ugly turn. Lakers rookie guard D’Angelo Russell released a video of Young bragging in the locker room about cheating on Azalea. That marked the end of this L.A. duo.
17. Morgan Poole Bledsoe, Eric Bledsoe
Morgan Poole and Eric Bledsoe first started dating in 2008, as students at Parker High School in Birmingham, AL. The high school sweethearts have been inseparable ever since. Bledsoe has become one of the NBA’s premier point guards, while Poole has remained his number one fan.
Poole and Bledsoe had two children together before he finally popped the question in 2016. The beautiful couple tied the knot one year later. Team Bledsoe has taken their loving family from Phoenix, AZ to Milwaukee, WI since the point guard was traded to the Bucks.
16. Adrienne Bosh, Chris Bosh
Adrienne Williams sure has a way with celebrities. Before she took NBA champ Chris Bosh’s surname, she was reportedly kicking it with other celebs. There was NFL linebacker John Abraham, safety DeAngelo Hall, NBA guard Delonte West, and rapper Lil’ Wayne.
Apparently, one can only take so much glitz and glam when it comes to dating. Eventually, Williams settled down with Miami Heat center Chris Bosh. She and Bosh married in 2011 and have since had four children together.
15. Isabella Brewster, Baron Davis
Isabella Brewster had seen plenty of star power before hooking up with NBA star Baron Davis. Brewster works as an agent at Creative Artists Agency. Brewster’s career has also resulted in her dating high-profile actors Russell Brand and Bradley Cooper.
In 2013, Brewster got engaged to recently retired NBA All-Star Baron Davis. Brewster and her high-flying husband married in 2014, making them the talk of the town… until they weren’t. Despite having two kids with Davis, Brewster filed for divorce in 2017.
14. Shannon Walker Williams, Ray Allen
Before Shannon Walker Williams met NBA sharpshooter Ray Allen, she was developing her career in showbiz as a singer and actor. Williams sang with the short-lived female R&B group Shades from 1996-97. Afterward, she focused her career on television and film.
Williams and Allen began dating in 2004. They married in 2008 and have four children together. They’re active advocates for diabetes awareness, a disease which nearly caused the death of their son, Walker.
Allen finished his NBA career with the Heat, and the family resides in Miami.
13. Gloria Govan, Matt Barnes / Derek Fisher
In a similar fashion to “The Real Housewives” cast, Gloria Govan got her shot at reality TV stardom – the grandest of all celebrity – on “Basketball Wives LA” in 2011. Govan was dating NBA journeyman Matt Barnes, who was a member of the Lakers at the time.
Govan and Barnes wed in 2013 and had twin boys, but the marriage ended in rocky fashion. Why did Barnes and Govan split in 2016? Apparently, Barnes’ former Lakers teammate Derek Fisher had been seeing her. Fisher continued dating Govan after the divorce was final… and they say chivalry’s dead.
12. Viviana Ortiz, JJ Barea
Many would consider any star athlete’s wife or girlfriend to be super lucky. But longtime Dallas Mavericks point guard JJ Barea is definitely the lucky one in this case. The Puerto Rican NBA player is lucky enough to call Viviana Ortiz his wife.
The stunning model won Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2011 and placed Top 16 in Miss Universe 2011. The couple first began dating in 2013. They had a child in March 2016 and got hitched five months later.
Even among NBA wives, Viviana’s beauty truly stands out.
11. Larsa Pippen, Scottie Pippen
Larsa Younan was born and raised in Chicago, IL, which led to her falling in love with hometown hero Scottie Pippen. The two married in 1997. While the Chicago Bulls superstar played out his HOF career, Larsa’s time to shine came later on.
In 2011, Larsa starred in the ensemble cast of The Real Housewives of Miami. Although she left after the show’s first season, she has since made a variety of reality show appearances. She also remains a leader of the Pippen Foundation, which focuses on fundraising for children’s charities.
10. Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander, Shaquille O’Neal
Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander earned her baller nickname when she appeared as a contestant on the first season of VH1’s “Flavor of Love.” Hoopz won the game show for a chance to date rapper Flavor Flav of Public Enemy. The reality show relationship ultimately failed, but led to another hoop romance.
In 2008, Hoopz reappeared on VH1, this time winning a much more lucrative prize of $250K on reality show “I Love Money.” She began dating NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal in 2010, shortly after he had filed for divorce.
The couple lived together in Boston but, like Shaq’s time as a Celtic, it didn’t last. They ended their relationship in 2012.
9. La La Anthony, Carmelo Anthony
Before La La Anthony began dating New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, she was already well-entrenched in New York’s scene, with celebrity of her own. With a blossoming radio career in New York and Los Angeles, she earned a spot hosting MTV’s “Total Request Live.”
La La and Carmelo began dating in 2004 and had a child in 2007 before tying the knot in 2010. Though the two have been living separate lives for some time, they have not yet divorced. Carmelo now plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder while La La continues her successful acting career in NYC.
8. Khloe Kardashian, Lamar Odom / Tristan Thompson
Khloe Kardashian is another reality TV star whose time on camera has made her a global phenomenon. She certainly won’t be the last, either. While in the public eye, Khloe has shared the spotlight with not one, but two NBA players.
Khloe first became a member of the NBA wives club in 2009, when she married 2x NBA champion Lamar Odom. Unfortunately, Odom’s alcohol and substance abuse eventually led to their divorce in 2016.
The following year, she coupled up with NBA champion Tristan Thompson. In December 2017, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child.
7. Kendall Jenner, Blake Griffin
Calling Kendall Jenner a celebrity is a massive understatement. Jenner gained major notoriety when “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” debuted on E! in 2007. Today, she’s a global sensation who models for the biggest names in fashion.
Jenner was first spotted dating Los Angeles Clippers All-Star Blake Griffin in 2017. But the power forward, who now reps the Motor City, definitely isn’t the face of this power couple. Interestingly, Kendall isn’t the only Kardashian-Jenner among these famous NBA wives and girlfriends.
6. Savannah Brinson James, LeBron James
Savannah Brinson never could have guessed what the future held when she first got her future husband’s number. Actually, LeBron James wanted to take Savannah’s number when they met. Rather than dishing her digits out, she said she’d take his instead.
This led to their first date – at an Outback Steakhouse – and eventually to the two tying the knot in 2013. LBJ may be the greatest basketball player of all time, but Brinson is the backbone of their famous family. The first lady of basketball raises their three kids and runs various programs under the LeBron James Family Foundation.
5. Kamiah Adams, Bradley Beal
Before Kamiah Adams met Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, she was working as an actress and model. Adams gained notoriety after appearing on reality show “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” while dating rapper Lil’ Fizz.
Adams’ fling with the B2K member was short-lived, though. Afterwards, it didn’t take her long to fall back in love; she and Beal began dating in 2015. Look no further than social media to see just how popular Adams has become. She has an impressive 800,000 followers on her Instagram account.
4. Eva Longoria, Tony Parker
Acting has long been a staple in Eva Longoria’s life. She first appeared on episodee of Beverly Hills, 90210 and General Hospital in 2000. Longoria struck gold when she landed a starring role on the hit show “Desperate Housewives” (2004-12), for which she earned an array of acting awards.
The actress met her match in French NBA star Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs. The two got hitched in 2007. But it wasn’t such a happy ending; Longoria filed for divorce in 2010, and the couple officially separated in 2011. It was later discovered that Parker was having an extramarital affair with teammate Brent Barry’s wife.
3. Ayesha Curry, Steph Curry
Ayesha Curry and Golden State Warriors 2x MVP Stephen Curry first met at a youth church group in Charlotte, NC. At the time, she was only 14 and he was 15 years old. After first meeting on the east coast, their love has spanned the country.
While Ayesha was pursuing her acting career out west, she and Steph reconnected while he was a student at Davidson College in Ohio. They married in 2011 and have lived together in the San Francisco Bay Area since.
Like many NBA wives, Ayesha Curry has enjoyed her own stardom on and off camera. She’s authored a cookbook and starred on her own Food Network show.
2. Amelia Vega, Al Horford
In 2002, Dominican model Amelia Vega won the title Miss Dominican Republic. One year later, Vega stepped onto the biggest stage in the world to represent her country and became Miss Universe 2003. She has since added acting, singing, and even a pilot’s license to her repertoire.
The 6’0″ Vega sure found the right man to match her long legs. In 2011, Vega married Atlanta Hawks All-Star Al Horford. Since Horford signed with the Boston Celtics in 2016, they have been raising their two children in Massachusetts.
1. Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade
Actress Gabrielle Union has appeared in some of the biggest hit movies since 1999. She scored roles in classic teen flicks like “She’s All That” and “10 Things I Hate About You.” In 2000, Union got her big break, playing Isis in the smash hit “Bring It On.”
Union has continued to star in numerous films and television shows. In 2009, Union began to date Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade. Though Union is nearly nine years older than Wade, the age difference didn’t stop the two from getting hitched in 2014.
