The Real MVPs: Meet The Wives And Girlfriends Of The 2020 NBA All-Star Game
It's one of the biggest events in the world of basketball: NBA All-Star Weekend. Cream of the crop players are selected to participate in a weekend-long celebration of the sport that includes a Celebrity Game, a 3-Point Competition, a Rising Stars game, and the thrilling Slam Dunk Contest.
The 2020 All-Star Weekend was held at the Bulls' home, the United Center in Chicago. Ballers from LeBron James to James Harden showed up in full force, many of them with their significant others. Let's meet the wives and girlfriends of the 2020 All-Star players now (and a couple of snubs, while we're at it).
Chris Paul & Jada Crawley
Back when he was with the Houston Rockets, Chris Paul helped the team win a record 65 games during his debut season. He's with the Oklahoma City Thunder now, with an average of 17.5 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 5 RPG leading up to his 10th All-Star Game.
Paul met and started dating his wife Jada Crawley when they were both attending Wake Forest University in 2003. They got married in 2011 and now have two kids, a daughter, and a son.
Luka Dončić & Anamaria Goltes
Maverick forward-guard Luka Dončić went into his very first All-Star Game with an average of 28.9 PPG, 8.7 APG and 9.5 RPG for the season, after winning 2019 Rookie of the Year honors.
He and fellow Slovenian Anamaria Goltes, a lingerie model, have been dating since 2016 even though they've known each other since they were just kids. In March 2020, Goltes posted this photo of the couple at home and shared this: "Fun fact: We still have the same group of friends we had [when we were 12]. You keep the real ones, am I right?"
LeBron James & Savannah James
King James captained Team LeBron and he opted to wear the number 2 in honor of Kobe Bryant's daughter Gigi. In his 16 career All-Star Games (so far), LeBron has been a 3-time All-Star Game MVP.
He and his wife Savannah started dating when they were still in high school and got married in San Diego in 2013. Savannah is a successful businesswoman and a philanthropist. The couple has three children together.
Joel Embiid & Anne de Paula
Heading into his third All-Star Game appearance, center Joel Embiid was averaging 22.9 PPG, 3.2 APG, and 11.9 RPG with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Embiid is almost as famous for his off-court life as he is for his basketball skills. He pursued Rihanna on social media for a while but was spotted kissing Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Anne de Paula in 2018 and the two have supposedly been together ever since. There were rumors floating around that the couple was engaged but that was never confirmed. Regardless, the two have traveled the world together… must be pretty serious.
James Harden & Olla Naber
Eight-time NBA All-Star James "The Beard" Harden brought an intimidating 35.3 PPG, 7.3 APG, and 6.5 RPG average to the United Center in 2020. The Houston Rockets MVP has been romantically linked to Instagram model Olla Naber, AKA Arab Money, who has also been spotted at his games.
The two have supposedly been an item since 2018, although he's dated several other high-profile women over the years. Arab Money has racked up almost 80,000 followers on Instagram with her provocative photos.
Damian Lillard & Kay'La Hanson
Despite having to sit out because of a groin injury, All-Star Weekend was not a disappointment for the Trail Blazer who earned his spot on the team with a 29.5 PPG, 7.9 APG, and 4.4 RPG average for the season before being sidelined.
Why was the weekend not a bust for the point guard? Lillard and his longtime girlfriend Kay'La Hanson got engaged while they were in Chicago for the big game! The couple started dating while attending college at Weber State, and they have a son named Damian Jr., born in 2018.
Russell Westbrook & Nina Earl
He's almost at a perfect ten… 2020 marked Russell Westbrook’s 9th appearance in the All-Star Game and his first as a Houston Rocket. The former league MVP had averaged 27.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, and 8 RPG for the season.
He and his wife, Nina Earl, met while they were both students at UCLA. Earl was a Bruins women's basketball player herself, so it was a match made in heaven. The two got married in 2015 and have three kids together now.
Kawhi Leonard & Kishele Shipley
The Clippers' eccentric yet supremely talented forward Kawhi Leonard headed into his fourth All-Star Game with a 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 5.3 APG.
Leonard and his long-time girlfriend Kishele Shipley met at San Diego State University. The NBA superstar is really private about his personal life, and Shipley doesn't even have any public social media accounts. We do know that they have a son and a daughter together, although some people think they have a third child as well.
Nikola Jokic & Natalija Macesic
Known to fans as "The Joker," Nikola Jokic played his second All-Star Game in Chicago this year. The seven-foot-tall Nuggets center carried an average of 20.6 PPG, 6.9 APG and 10.2 RPG for the season.
He and longtime girlfriend Natalija Macesic grew up together in Serbia and started dating when they were just 16 years old! Natalija followed her sweetie to America when he moved here. Nikola even calls her “Ljubav,” which means love.
Anthony Davis & Marlen P.
After being picked up to move from New Orleans to Los Angeles in 2019, forward-center Anthony Davis headed into his 7th All-Star Game with a 26.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 3.3 APG.
When Davis moved to L.A., he didn't do it alone. He was accompanied by his girlfriend Marlen P. and their young daughter, Nala. The couple stays hush-hush about their private life together, but TMZ reported that they rent a $14 million mansion in Bel-Air. Not too shabby.
Ben Simmons & Kendall Jenner
In his second All-Star Game, 76er Ben Simmons got to face up against teammate Joel Embiid. The 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year was averaging 16.9 PPG, 8.3 APG, and 7.9 RPG for the season.
Simmons' current girlfriend is one of the more recognizable names on the list. He and model Kendall Jenner have had an on-again, off-again relationship since 2018. Since they were seen celebrating New Years together in Philly this year, we can assume they’re on again (for the time being, at least).
Kemba Walker & Ashtyn Montgomery
After eight seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, Kemba Walker moved over to Boston to play for the Celtics. With an average of 5 APG, 21.8 PPG, and 4 RPG this season, he more than earned his fourth All-Star appearance.
Walker and Ashtyn Montgomery have been dating for years and prefer to keep their personal details private, but we do know that she has a Master's degree in sports management from FSU and has worked for the Atlanta Braves.
Jayson Tatum & Ella Mai
Jayson Tatum lights up the courts for the Boston Celtics, with a 22.1 PPG, 3 APG and 6.9 RPG for the season. But it seems the small forward has his fair share of drama off the court when it comes to his love life.
The 2018 All-Rookie selection supposedly left his former girlfriend, a Duke volleyball player, to be a family man with the mother of his child. But then he also left her for a British singer and songwriter, Ella Mai, in 2019.
Khris Middleton & Samantha
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton is now a two-time All-Star Game veteran, coming out of the season with an average 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 4.3 APG.
His leading lady is a first-grade teacher named Samantha. Middleton keeps details about his personal life to himself, so we don't know a whole lot else about her. The couple welcomed a child into the world in April of 2019, a daughter they named Audrielle.
Devin Booker & Hannah Harrison
Chosen as an injury replacement for Damien Lillard, Phoenix Suns' shooting guard Devin Booker was selected as an All-Star Game player for the first time this year with his 26.4 PPG, 6.3 APG and 4.2 RPG averages for the season.
He’s currently dating an Instagram model who also owns a salon. Hannah Harrison is an identical twin whose sister is seeing Chandler Parsons of the Atlanta Hawks. A love of basketball must run in the family!
Donovan Mitchell & Deja Lighty
2018 Slam Dunk Contest champ Donovan Mitchell made his first appearance in the All-Star Game this year. The shooting guard for the Utah Jazz brought an impressive 4.3 APG, 4.3 RPG, and 24.3 PPG average to Chicago.
Mitchell has been linked romantically to a lovely Instagram model named Deja Lighty. In 2019, there were rumors that the couple had split up but nothing was confirmed by either party.
Giannis Antetokounmpo & Mariah Riddlesprigger
Team Giannis was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sported the number 24 to honor the great Kobe Bryant. This was The Greek Freak's fourth All-Star Game, after the MVP had yet another amazing year with the Milwaukee Bucks.
February was an exciting month for Antetokounmpo and his long-time girlfriend Mariah Riddlesprigger. In addition to the All-Star Game, they also welcomed a baby. Mariah is an athlete herself, having played for Rice University in college.
Zach LaVine & Hunter Mar
Although he wasn't chosen for the All-Star Game, fans speculated that Bulls guard Zach LaVine was going to make a surprise appearance in the Dunk Contest (which he won in 2015 and 2016), but he didn't show up. He did enter the 3-Point Contest but failed to advance.
He and his gorgeous girlfriend Hunter Mar, a former soccer player, had a great time at the All-Star Weekend anyway. They’re high school sweethearts, even though they went to different schools. She is quite the consolation prize for LaVine!
Trae Young & Shelby Miller
Trae Young had a great rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks. A few days after the All-Star Game (his first), he scored a career-high 50 points, hitting 8-of-15 three-pointers, in a win against the Miami Heat.
He's been dating University of Oklahoma cheerleader Shelby Miller since they were in college together. The power couple enjoys spending their time doing things like hitting up yacht parties in Miami, as they did in February.
Brandon Ingram & Raelynn Inez
First-time All-Star Brandon Ingram had accrued a 24.9 PPG, 4.2 APG, and 6.4 RPG average for the season leading up to the trip to Chicago. The forward started playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019 after three seasons with the Lakers.
His stellar performance hasn't made his personal life any simpler, however. He's been linked to an exotic dancer in L.A. named Raelynn Inez, and she's gotten into some public back-and-forths with other women he's supposedly involved with. There was even a rumor that Inez isn't allowed to post any photos of Ingram on her social media accounts. Awkward.
Kyle Lowry & Ayahna Cornish-Lowry
Known as one of the Toronto Raptors' best players, Kyle Lowry is a six-time All-Star now. His current season averages are 19.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 7.6 APG. The guard played for the Houston Rockets for four seasons before he and his family made the big move up to Canada.
Kyle’s wife Ayahna is a former college basketball player for Saint Joseph University. They started dating in the early 2000s and got hitched in 2014. The couple now has two kids together and the entire family loves living in Toronto.
Bradley Beal & Kamiah Adams
Fans were shocked that Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal wasn't selected for the All-Stars, considering he was the third-leading scorer in the NBA's Eastern Conference at 28.7 points per game. He was chosen twice before, though, so we're sure he'll be OK.
Beal's worth a mention here because of his stunning fiancee, the Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood actress Kamiah Adams. He put a ring on her finger in January. They have two children together, both boys.
Jimmy Butler & ... Drama
Before heading into his fifth All-Star Game, Jimmy Butler brought a 20.6 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 6.8 RPG to the Heat this season, but he's also stirred up plenty of rumors surrounding his personal life.
He's been linked with "numerous" different women during his time in the NBA, but it's unclear who the small forward might be dating now. He became a father in 2019 and although he didn't confirm the baby mama's identity, all signs point to her being model Kaitlin Nowak (pictured).
Pascal Siakam & Bianca Andreescu?
This one is probably just a photo opportunity that turned into a whole bunch of gossip, but it's interesting either way. Raptors power forward Pascal Siakam was snapped with pro tennis player Bianca Andreescu at a charity gala in October of 2019.
Since "Spicy P" hasn't been linked romantically to anyone publicly, fans jumped all over this pic. One Twitter user wrote, "I've been shipping them since he congratulated her for winning the US Open on Twitter, so my inner teenager is very excited right now." The couple hasn't been seen together since, but it's the closest fans have gotten to knowing who Siakam' might be involved with.
Frank Vogel & Jennifer Vogel
Once the youngest coach in the NBA, Frank Vogel spent nearly a decade in Indianapolis and a couple of years with the Magic before becoming the Lakers' head coach in 2019. This was his second All-Star Game.
He and Jennifer Sia met while he was working as an assistant for the Boston Celtics. The two were married in 2002 and have two daughters together: Alexa and Arianna. Here, Frank and Jennifer are seen serving meals at a charity event.
Nick Nurse & Roberta Nurse
A former player for the University of Northern Iowa, Nick Nurse is now the head coach of the Toronto Raptors. In 2019 he led the team to their first championship in franchise history.
Nick's wife Roberta is a former college volleyball player who originally hails from Brazil. She helped her college team win two A-Sun conference titles and she later served as an assistant women's volleyball coach at Winthrop University. Today, they have two sons together.
