NBA fans will know lots of facts about their favorite player. They'll know their statistics and the team they're on, maybe even their height? But what about the women that stand by them. Ever been interested in what they're like? Where they met the NBA players? what their profession is? or what their personality is like?
Well, many of the wives or girlfriends of these NBA players are successful in their own right! They don't need financial support from their very well-off husbands or boyfriends.
Anne de Paula and Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid plays for The Sixers and is pretty talented so you'd think he'd find similar features for his better half, right? well in 2018 he started dating Anne de Paula, she's just as successful being a popular Sports Illustrated Model.
More recently, people have been speculating whether the diamond ring that de Paula wears on her left hand is what they think it is - an engagement ring! But the couple haven't announced anything about it yet.
Anne de Paula was born in Brazil and became famous when she became a swimsuit model for Sports Illustrated. Even though she's found her calling, she's always wanted to someday become a doctor.
In an interview with reporters from Fox News, she told them, “I feel like it was an influence because of my parents and my family. They all work in the [medical] field. I did look up to them…It still can happen, you never know!”
Viviana Ortiz and JJ Barea
These two hit it off shortly after they met and just three years after Viviana Ortiz and JJ Barea first started dating back in 2013, they decided to tie the knot!
By 2016 they were happily married and have two children. The first child is from JJ's previous marriage but Viviana couldn't be happier and JJ feels the same.
Viviana Ortiz and JJ Barea
Viviana Ortiz was born in Puerto Rica and found her big break when she became not only an actress but also a model. She was even crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico back in 2011.
She's gained her success without JJ's help and we think she's just as much of an equal as he is.
Gloria Govan and Matt Barnes, Derek Fisher
First a star in Basketball Wives, Gloria Govan has a history with NBA stars. The first being Matt Barnes, she met when she was only 12 and they started dating in 2006. Barnes was charged with domestic violence in 2010 but he was released without any charges. They got married in 2013 and started a family together when Gloria gave birth to twins.
The couple got divorced in 2016 and have been fighting for custody of their children since. Afterward, Gloria found Derek Fisher, coach of the New York Knicks, the two are now engaged.
Gloria Govan and Matt Barnes, Derek Fisher
Barnes and Fisher used to play for the Lakers together and because of that, they had a close bond. But before Barnes divorce with Govan was finalized, Fisher started dating her. This sparked a feud between the two friends.
Barnes got into an altercation with Govan in 2018 at the school their children attended. Because of this Barnes was granted full custody of his kids and a restraining order.
Francesca Aiello and Blake Griffin
This couple is a little weird from the point of view of their social media pages. You'd be hard-pressed to find pictures of Blake Griffin on Francesca Aiello's social media or pictures of Aiello on Griffin's.
Even though they keep each other out of their social media posts, the two are going strong and have been dating for a year. Griffin is 30 and Aiello is 23 and they're both successful people.
Francesca Aiello and Blake Griffin
Francesca is a very successful young lady with her own swimsuit line. It's called Frankies Bikinis and she founded it in 2012 when she was only 17 years old. Only two years later, she featured on Miami Swim Week, making her the youngest designer to be featured.
Kylie Jenner has been wearing Frankies Bikinis since 2015. (And oddly enough, Blake used to date Kylie's supermodel sister, Kendall.) Her swimsuit line has even caught the attention of Kylie Jenner, who only wears her bikinis since she tried them in 2015. A coincidental fact is that Kylie's sister (Kendall Jenner) used to date Blake before he met Francesca.
Larsa Pippen and Scottie Pippen
Here's our first relationship on the list that has it's fair share of problems. Larsa Pippen and Scottie Pippen are a married couple, but it would be an understatement to say that they aren't a happy one.
In 2018, Larsa filed for divorce for the second time, that right, they've filed for divorce twice! And in the span of only two years, now that's a relationship with troubles.
Larsa Pippen and Scottie Pippen
Larsa has her connections being on Keeping Up With the Kardashians many times. She a family friend of the Kardashians and spends a lot of her time with them.
Another show she's not only featured in but been a star in is The Real Housewives of Miami. It's safe to say she'll be fine without Scottie Pippen's financial support. We just don't know when they'll actually finalize the divorce.
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
Here's a couple that is essentially the polar opposite of our previous couple on the list. Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade have been a power couple for a while now and it doesn't look like they'll stop being that anytime soon. The two have openly talked about their struggles to have a child and that they attend couples therapy.
The two don't appreciate being called a power couple or the public bringing up their struggles. But who would? One thing we do know is that this couple isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
They married in 2014 and they now have four children together, including two from Dwyane's previous marriage. Being the stepmother of the children, Gabrielle still tries to be just as active in their life as she is in her own children's.
Gabrielle Union is a very successful woman. She's done many great things and gone down more than one career path. She's an actress, activist, and author. Currently, she’s a judge on America’s Got Talent.
Amelia Vega and Al Horford
Amelia Vega Horford is currently married to a man whose name proceeds him. It's none other than Al Horford, you could have probably guessed that though, with her taking his last name.
Amelia Vega Horford has multiple vocations under her belt and competes with her husband's career. She's a Dominican model, actress, singer, and beauty pageant winner.
Amelia Vega and Al Horford
Amelia's modeling paid off when she was crowned Miss Universe 2003. It’s hard to tell that she's tall.
She may look short when her husband is in the same shot. Like when she’s standing next to Al Horford (who's 6'10"), but she’s actually 6’2”!
Ayesha Curry and Steph Curry
Ayesha is used to the spotlight. She was a Canadian-American actress, celebrity cook, and author before she met her husband Steph Curry.
She has a lot of shows underneath her belt. She's been on Cooking with the Currys, Ayesha’s Homemade, and The Great American Baking Show.
Ayesha Curry and Steph Curry
The power couple fell in love shortly after meeting and got married in 2011. The couple was excited to start their new lives and together, along with starting a family.
Today the couple has started a wonderful family together with three children.
Savannah Brinson James and LeBron James
Savannah and LeBron go way back. The two successful people know each other from high school and they ended up being high school sweethearts.
After knowing each other for so long the two finally decided to get married in 2013. Soon they also started a family together, they now have three children.
Savannah Brinson James and LeBron James
Despite her husband's enormous success in NBA, Savannah has made it as an American businesswoman and philanthropist.
She's also no stranger to charity since she can afford it, she's supported many charities like Girl Listen and even started up a mentoring initiative.
Daniela Rajic and Paul George
Daniela and Paul have had an on-again-off-again relationship since 2013. Regardless, the couple has two children together.
Things were rough after their first child, but following their second child, the two have been enjoying a happy life together.
Daniela Rajic and Paul George
When Paul George and Daniela Rajie met she was a stripper. She had big dreams to become a doctor and was on her way to it as well.
You'd think Paul George might feel a stigma around Danila's previous job, but he looked past that and saw her for who she was rather what she did.
Adrienne Bosh and Chris Bosh
Adrienne and Chris Bosh met at a charity event in 2009 and got married at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami in 2011. The wedding reportedly cost $300,000 and included guests like Serena Williams, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Anwar, and LeBron James.
Adrienne and Chris have three sons together and two daughters (one of which is Chris’s from a previous relationship).
Adrienne Bosh and Chris Bosh
Adrienne Bosh got her start by modeling and by competing in pageants. Now, she owns an online boutique called Sparkle and Shine Darling.
She opened the boutique while she was pregnant. She is also an activist and serves as Vice President of the non-profit Team Tomorrow.
Kate Bock and Kevin Love
Kevin Love has been an NBA star who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He's been dating KAte Bock who's a Sports Illustrated model. The two have been dating for several years now.
She hasn't only contributed towards Kevin Love's happiness but some people so say that she's actually aided in the success that the Cleveland Cavaliers have been seeing.
Kate Bock and Kevin Love
Kate found her world change drastically when she was discovered at the age of 12 swimming in a pool. Ever since then she's made her way in the world of modeling.
Since she was named Sports Illustrated's Rookie of the Year back in 2013 she's been featured in every year that followed. Plus, she speaks fluent French!
Elaine Alden and Landry Fields
Elaine Alden and Landry Fields starting dating shortly after they met and began dating in 2012. The couple grew very fond of each other and got married in 2014.
After the couple got married back in 2014 they decided that they wanted to settle down and have a family together. The two have since had children of their own.
Elaine Alden and Landry Fields
Elaine Alden used to be a model for multiple organizations, these include Maxim, GQ, and Sports Illustrated. She opted out of modeling and went down her own path, she wanted to become a designer.
Nowadays, she’s achieved her goals and is the designer and owner of Alden Fields Design. It's a career change that she feels suits her better.
Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom
Although they've been divorced since 2016, Khloe and Lamar's relationship will always be one of the most memorable NBA marriages. Their love story was documented on Keeping Up With the Kardashians (where they met and got married within two months in 2009).
Then they had their own short-lived spinoff show, Khloe & Lamar. But Lamar was keeping a lot of secrets from Khloe (among them, multiple affairs and substance abuse), and she filed for divorce in December 2013.
Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom
Odom refused to sign the divorce papers, drawing out the divorce for two whole years. Two months before the divorce was finalized, Odom was hospitalized after being found unconscious at a brothel in Nevada.
Khloe asked the judge to hold off while he was in the hospital so she could be by his side and make medical decisions for him. Despite the world's hopes that Odom would get his life together and the two would eventually reconcile, the divorce was finalized in December 2016.
Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson
Khloe moved from one NBA star to another (with a rapper or two in-between)! She told Us Weekly that another NBA star, Brandon Jennings, set the two up on a blind date in 2016.
They welcomed their first child together in April 2018, just three days after photos and videos came out of Tristan cheating on Khloe. But that wasn't the end of their relationship, nor his cheating scandals...