7 NBA Players Who Have Dated (or Married) Famous Celebrities
Publicado el 13/04/2021 a las 18:31
Athlete-Celebrity couples are about as commonplace as milk in cereal. Especially basketball players, as over the years these superhuman giants have dated a variety of fellow limelight members, whether it be models, actresses, singers, or self-made stars.
Although they aren’t technically celebrities
themselves, some professional players have rose to fame simply because of who they were caught standing next to. Let’s face it-the paparazzi loves a good celebrity duo almost as much as we love reading about them on the inside of rumor magazines. Whether they date for just a few months or remain married for years, the rich and famous undoubtedly have a way at capturing our attention.
Without further ado, here are seven NBA powerhouses who have had, at one time throughout their careers, another famous face cheering them on from the sidelines.
Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian
The world got their first inside look at the Kardashians in the fall of 2007 with the massively popular reality show that would go on to air for over a decade more, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The drama turned Kim Kardashian and her four other sisters, Khloe, Kourtney, Kendall, and Kylie into overnight sensations.
A few years later, in 2010, rumors started to fly that power forward Kris Humphries of the New Jersey Nets was dating the second-oldest Kardashian sister, Kim. But everyone already knows how this fairytale ended. In less than a year the couple was engaged and within just 72 days they were filing for divorce. Still today it’s unknown whether the marriage was simply a publicity stunt or something more. However, the fact still stands that Humphries is almost better known for being Kim’s man of the moment, rather than his performance on the court.
Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian
The second couple on the list features another Kardashian, oldest sister Khloe, who began her relationship during the reality show’s prime time in the same way that Kim and Kris did. Just two years after the series aired, Khloe began seeing Laker’s star power forward, Lamar Odom. In a whirlwind of events, the two were married in a televised event just three weeks later.
Although the pair’s marriage lasted longer than Kim’s, they ultimately split up in 2013. However, unlike Kris Humphries, the 6-ft-8 powerhouse didn’t need the help of a Kardashian to make him more famous. At the time the player was one of the best in Los Angeles, leading the organization to two back-to-back Championship titles in 2009 and 2010. Nowadays he is friends with the current playmakers of his old team, as the Laker’s continue to be a top contender for another title according to NBA Championship Winner Betting Odds. One thing’s for certain: Lamar is remembered for both his basketball talent and romantic Kardashian fling.
Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams
Throwing it all the way back to the late 90’s, no one could ever forget the relationship between Boston Celtic’s Rick Fox and actress/singer Vanessa Williams. The former Miss America beauty queen and professional basketball star got married back in 1999 and enjoyed a wonderful five years together before splitting up.
Since then, Williams married again to a lesser-known man, accountant Jim Skrip, and they are still together today. However, the Canadian-born basketball player will always remain the actresses’ most famous partner.
J.R. Smith and Rihanna
Moving onto famous singers who have graced the arms of basketball’s elite, J.R. Smith and Rihanna were one of the most captured couples of the moment during their relationship back in 2012. The Barbados-born pop star and five-time Grammy winner frequently attended Smith’s games, where she sat on the sidelines watching the then New York Knicks player shoot and score.
Although he was already well-known in the basketball world before, his short-term romance with the signer took him to another level of public attention. Smith is one of the players on this list who is still an active member of the NBA. As for Rihanna, nowadays it seems she has moved on from basketball players to fellow music star, A$AP Rocky.
Dwayne Wayde and Gabrielle Union
Another actress-athlete duo, Dwayne Wayde and Gabrielle Union kicked off their romance in 2007 when they first met at a Super Bowl party and, in 2014, they were married in a beautiful ceremony, later traveling to the Maldives for their honeymoon.
The former Miami Heat shooting guard and the actress are the only couple on this list that is still together today. A success story in the celebrity romance world, the pair will celebrate seven years of marriage this coming August.
Amar’e Stoudemire and Ciara
Singer/songwriter Ciara and NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire were together for the better part of 2011. Although short-lived, the two were a famous duo at the time, garnering attention as Ciara rose to the top of the music charts at the same time Stoudemire saw much success in his first season in New York with the Knicks.
Nowadays Ciara is with another high-profile athlete, Russell Wilson, having moved on from NBA players to NFL players. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback and the Grammy award winning artist were married in the spring of 2016 in a secret ceremony set in an English castle. Although the signer did not ultimately end up with the famous basketballer, she still got the fairytale of her dreams with another prestigious sportsman.
Tony Parker and Eva Longoria
Perhaps the most well-known actresses on the list, Eva Longoria, married Spurs player Tony Parker in a small civil ceremony close to home. Unfortunately, the Golden Globe winning actress filed for divorce just a few years later. The were married from 2007 to 2011 .
In 2016, the Desperate Housewives star remarried to Mexican-born businessman José Bastón and they remain together today. As for Tony Parker, he will forever be remembered by basketball fans for his incredible performances in Sant Antonio, helping to lead the Spurs to a whopping four NBA Championship titles during his time as a point guard.
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