Our Favorite WNBA Couples and Their Love Stories

We're suckers for a teammates-to-soulmates pipeline.
sarah hanlon entertainment and celebrity editor the knot
by
Sarah Hanlon
sarah hanlon entertainment and celebrity editor the knot
Sarah Hanlon
Entertainment & Celebrity Editor
  • Sarah is the Entertainment & Celebrity Editor for The Knot, with special focuses on pop culture and celebrity wedding news.
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Sarah was a contributing writer for Bravo at NBC Universal.
  • Sarah has a degree in journalism and resides in New York City.
Updated Jun 04, 2024

All eyes are on the WNBA for the 2024 season—and with the Summer Olympics also set for this year, women's basketball is shaping up to be one of the hottest topics of conversation in sports. Of course, we can't help but get swept up in the romantic stories of our favorite WNBA couples. There's something fascinating about a sports love story, especially when athletes find love through the game.

While the WNBA's biggest stars continue to make headlines for their record-breaking performances and stellar careers on (and off) the court, we can't help but wonder about their lives outside of the paint. Here, we dive into the romantic tales of 13 engaged and married WNBA players. Some of these star athletes fell for their teammates, while others simply share love stories that make us swoon. But one thing is certain: We're rooting for all of these WNBA couples.

Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe

Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe relationship
Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images

When you think of the WNBA, there's a good chance your mind goes to Sue Bird. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Bird spent her entire 20-year career on the Seattle Storm. A 13-time All-Star and four-time champion, Bird changed the game of women's basketball—and her fiancée has an equally impressive resume. Sue Bird is engaged to soccer star Megan Rapinoe, who's considered one of the all-time greats in her sport.

Bird and Rapinoe met at a Team USA photoshoot during the 2016 Rio Olympics. While Rapinoe publicly came out four years prior, the couple kept their romance quiet until Bird did so in a 2017 interview with espnW—and confirmed their relationship in the process. The couple got engaged in 2020 and have shared their desire to host a tropical destination wedding. When Bird retired from the WNBA in 2022, Rapinoe was one of her loudest supporters, calling her "the greatest to ever do it."

Chiney Ogwumike and Raphael Akpejiori

Chiney Ogwumike's November 2023 wedding to Raphael Akpejiori may have come as a surprise—because she never even formally announced she was engaged! The former Los Angeles Sparks player, who currently serves as a basketball analyst for ESPN, revealed to The Knot that she met her husband, an engineer and professional heavyweight boxer, on Hinge. After bonding over their shared Nigerian heritage, the couple embarked on a whirlwind romance that led to a five-day, 1,000-person fusion wedding in Texas.

Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova

Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova went from teammates on the court to teammates for life. The athletes met in 2012 while playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a professional women's team based in Russia. In a 2022 interview with Time, Parker—who many view as one of the most prolific and versatile WNBA players of all time—revealed that she proposed to Petrakova on a family trip to Mexico in 2019. They privately tied the knot in December of that year. In 2022, the couple welcomed a son, Airr, who joined Parker's daughter Lailaa, whom she has from her previous marriage.

Skylar Diggins-Smith and Daniel Smith

Skylar Diggins-Smith and Daniel Smith wnba couple
Photo: Rob Latour/Variety/Penske Media / Getty Images

Although they tend to keep their romance on the down-low, we love Skylar Diggins-Smith and Daniel Smith's love story. The Seattle Storm point guard has been with her husband, a football player-turned-artist, since at least 2016; although they both hail from South Bend, Indiana, and attended Notre Dame University, it's unclear exactly how and when they met. After getting engaged in a Texas art gallery, the couple swapped vows in Chicago in 2017. They've since welcomed two children together: a son, Seven, and a daughter, whose name has not been publicly shared.

Breanna Stewart and Marta Xargay Casademont

Not only is Breanna Stewart a two-time WNBA champion, she's also a two-time Olympic gold medalist. The New York Liberty forward is one of the most decorated WNBA players of all time, and she continues to make history ever since she was first drafted in 2016. It might not come as a surprise, then, that she's married to Marta Xargay Casademont, a Spanish basketball player.

The athletes met in 2018 while playing for Dynamo Kursk, a Russian women's basketball club. After starting as acquaintances, romance blossomed when Stewart suffered an injury the following year. Stewart popped the question in May 2021, and they formally wed just a few weeks later. The couple welcomed their daughter, Ruby, in 2021, followed by son Theo in October 2023.

Catlin Clark and Connor McCaffrey

There's no denying that Caitlin Clark is one of the buzziest names in women's basketball right now. The record-breaking athlete made history during her collegiate tenure with the Indiana Hawkeyes, solidifying herself as one of the greatest college athletes ever. She then dominated headlines when she was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in 2024—but fans are just as intrigued by her personal life.

Caitlin Clark is dating Connor McCaffrey, who was also a former Indiana Hawkeye. The dual-sport athlete played baseball and basketball during his time at the university, and has since landed a job as a team assistant for the NBA's Indiana Pacers.

Sabrina Ionescu and Hroniss Grasu

2023 was an unforgettable year for Sabrina Ionescu. Not only did the New York Liberty point guard collaborate on a shoe line with Nike, she won the WNBA three-point contest by logging a historic 37 points—but it was also the year she got engaged to her longtime love, Hroniss Grasu. After the basketball star and NFL free agent took their romance public in 2021, he popped the question amid a lush display of white roses and candles on January 20, 2023. The couple tied the knot at an intimate ceremony surrounded by friends and family in California on March 10, 2024.

Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner

Talk about a power couple. On July 21, 2023, Connecticut Sun teammates Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner announced their engagement, marking the next step in their rom-com-worthy romance. The athletes grew closer in 2020 after spending time together in the WNBA pandemic "bubble," which was enforced amid the onset of the COVID lockdown. They confirmed their romance on Valentine's Day the following year.

Betnijah Laney and Jordan Hamilton

Betnijah Laney and Jordan Hamilton wnba couple
Photo: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

Although they keep their romance out of the spotlight, we do know that New York Liberty shooting guard Betnijah Laney is married to fellow basketball player Jordan Hamilton. The couple wed in November 2021, and in a May 2024 New York Times profile, Laney revealed she lives in Japan during the off-season, where her husband plays for Aomori Wat, a Japanese B.League team.

Katie Lou Samuelson and Devin Cannady

Katie Lou Samuelson may have missed the 2023 WNBA season, but it was for good reason: she was expecting a baby! The Indiana Fever small forward welcomed her first child, a daughter named Aliya, in August 2023 with Devin Cannady. The athlete announced her engagement to her husband, an NBA G-league player, on February 4, 2022.

While they intended to get married on April 4, 2023, they pivoted their plans amid news of Samuelson's pregnancy and eloped instead. "A year ago we would have never expected to be where we are now, but we also could have never imagined how blessed our lives would be at this moment," Samuelson wrote on Instagram at the time. "Although this wasn't our first plan, this day was truly perfect and words cannot explain how happy I am to be married to you."

Napheesa Collier and Alex Bazzell

Minnesota Lynx power forward Napheesa Collier is a force on the basketball court. Not only is she a three-time All-Star, she was named Rookie of the Year in 2019 and helped Team USA secure a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics. In October 2019, she got engaged to basketball skills coach Alex Bazzell. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Mila, on May 25, 2022. With their little girl in tow, they wed in St. Louis later that fall.

Erica Wheeler and Danielle Edwards

A win followed by a proposal? It doesn't get much better than that. Such was the case for Indiana Fever point guard Erica Wheeler, who proposed to her girlfriend Danielle Edwards, an assistant coach for the SMU Mustangs, following a preseason win in 2023. After the game, Wheeler gathered a crowd of friends, family and teammates to surround Edwards while she popped the question.

Arike Ogunbowale and Lala Ronay

On May 19, 2024, Dallas Wings player Arike Ogunbowale announced her engagement to content creator Lala Ronay. The couple shared a joint Instagram post of the proposal, which showed Ronay being presented with a bouquet of red roses in front of a small group of friends and family members.

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