Power ranking the 10 most iconic couples in sports

10. Kelsey Plum & Darren Waller

Kelsey Plum and Darren Waller are one of the most popular sports love stories as both athletes are stars in their respective sports. They reportedly began dating a couple of years ago when both athletes played for Las Vegas sports teams. Waller played tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders up until March 2023 then was traded to the New York Giants; while Plum (two-time WNBA champion) currently still plays guard for the Las Vegas Aces.

In an interview with All The Smoke podcast, Plum shared how she thought it was funny that she married another professional athlete because she didn’t imagine she’d do so nor did she want to. The pair would be seen attending various sporting events while dating in Vegas and they tied the knot officially in March 2023. 

9. Candace Parker & Anna Petrakova

Candace Parker and her wife, Anna Petrakova, have a sweet love story that started as just friends over 10 years ago in 2012. Petrakova is a former Russian professional basketball player and Parker is one of the greatest players in WNBA history — they met when Parker was playing overseas in Russia during a WNBA offseason.

The couple married in 2019 but it wasn’t officially revealed until 2021 via an IG post from Parker that the couple had been married for a couple of years and were expecting their first child together. Parker, who played for the Las Vegas Aces last season, shared on IG in December 2023 in an anniversary post that their family was expanding to a family of five as her wife Anna is expecting again. The couple currently share two children; Airr whom the couple welcomed to the world on Feb. 11, 2022, and Lailaa whom Parker shares with ex-husband Shelden Williams. 

8. LeBron James & Savannah James

Though Savannah isn’t an athlete, this is one of the most famous and loved sports couples ever. LeBron and Savannah are both from Akron, Ohio and became high school sweethearts in the early 2000s.

According to an interview Savannah did with Cleveland Magazine in 2018, LeBron asked a mutual friend for her number but she declined and got his number instead. She recalled how one day she might’ve been bored and remembered she had LeBron’s number and decided to hit him up. He invited her to one of his basketball games (she attended a rival high school) and the two have been together ever since.

The couple share three children: Bronny (LeBron Jr.), Bryce, and Zhuri who all are loved by the internet, especially as the boys are high-level basketball talents and Zhuri is the ‘princess’ of the James household. Last February 2023, LeBron became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer — passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who held the record for 39 years. The James family put together a heart-melting congratulations and it was extra special with the message from his wife, Savannah. 

7. Zach Ertz & Julie Ertz 

It’s only fitting that these two met at a sporting event — a baseball game while they were both college athletes in 2012. According to The Players Tribune – Julie, who played soccer for Santa Clara, and Zach, who played football for their rival school Stanford University, both have different recollections of how they met but both agreed sunflower seeds bonded them together. The couple then moved into dating long distance as Zach was drafted to the Philadelphia Eagles and Julie would become a professional soccer player for the Chicago Red Stars.

The couple became engaged in 2016 at the Stanford baseball stadium, where they initially met, and married in 2017. The following year, in 2018, the then-Eagles tight end won Super Bowl LI. Julie is also a winning soccer player who helped lead the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team to two World Cup titles, in 2015 and 2019. The couple welcomed their first child, Madden Matthew Ertz, in 2022. Though Julie is now retired, Zach Ertz recently signed with the Detroit Lions ahead of the NFC Championship game, per Tom Pelissero.

6. Simone Biles & Jonathan Owens

This gymnast and football combo has been an admirable love story since the start. Right before the pandemic hit, these two met on a dating app, Raya, as most millennials do in this day and age. The couple, now married, have shared several times since they began dating in 2020 that dating during the pandemic actually helped push their relationship forward.

Since sports were essentially shut down during the pandemic the couple was able to enjoy each other and just have fun — which isn’t typical for two athletes. Biles, regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, shows major love to her boo on the field also. Owens, a safety for the Green Bay Packers, saw his season end in the second round of the playoffs but Biles penned a sweet IG message to her man, thanking the organization.

5. Jrue Holiday & Lauren Holiday

Jrue and Lauren Holiday are on everyone's list of favorite sports couples. Both are longtime athletes and met while both attending UCLA as student-athletes. Lauren played soccer at UCLA before turning professional and Jrue played on the men’s basketball team for a year before being drafted in 2009 by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Lauren earned a FIFA Women’s World Cup title, two Olympic gold medals, and was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year in 2014. FC Kansas City also retired her jersey after she retired to focus on her family and philanthropy. Jrue is a two-time NBA All-Star and helped bring the Milwaukee Bucks their second NBA championship in team history in 2021. The couple spends a lot of time outside of sports on their nonprofit — Jrue & Lauren Social Impact Fund. The Holidays have been married since 2013 and they share two children: Jrue Tyler and Hendrix.

4. Russell Westbrook & Nina Westbrook

A true Love and Basketball story! Though many may know that Nina and Russell were college sweethearts while both attending UCLA; some may not know that both also played basketball for the University. They both were standout basketball players in high school with both athletes earning a scholarship to play hoops at UCLA.

The couple began dating in 2007 while still student-athletes and tied the knot in 2015 with a beautiful ceremony amongst family and friends. Russell was drafted in 2008 by the Seattle SuperSonics (shortly after, the organization moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder) and his now-wife graduated with a bachelor's in Psychology to become a licensed marriage and family therapist. The couple shares three children; Noah Russell Westbrook and twins Jordyn & Skye Westbrook.

3. Alex Morgan and Servando Carrasco

All is fair in love and soccer. These two soccer stars dedicated their life and careers to the game. They both played throughout their childhood, collegiately, and both went on to play professionally.

This couple began dating while they were both soccer student-athletes at ​​the University of California, Berkeley. Morgan revealed in a loving ‘Happy Birthday’ post dedicated to her “one and only” that she was the one who shot her shot with him!

Carrasco proposed to Morgan in 2013 and they tied the knot in 2014. Carrasco, now retired, played several seasons in the MLS previously and last played for Fort Lauderdale CF in 2020. Morgan is still going strong and has helped the U.S. Women's National Soccer team win two Women’s World Cups (2015 and 2019). The couple welcomed a baby girl, Charlie Elena Carrasco, in May 2020.

2. Angel Reese & Cam’Ron Fletcher

Young love at its finest. Angel Reese and Cam’Ron Fletcher are both currently collegiate basketball players for their respective universities. Reese, a standout star for LSU women’s basketball, helped lead her team to their first NCAA national championship and sparked a groundbreaking movement in women’s sports.

The Bayou Barbie and Fletcher made their relationship public in August 2023 — with Fletcher commenting on Reese’s post “Let’s keep making memories together 😏”. Fletcher, a forward for Florida State, announced in early December 2023 that he has another season-ending knee injury but wasn’t discouraged as he plans to work hard to get back on the floor. This young couple looks to be going strong as they grow in their academics and careers.

Fletcher and Reese shared a sweet Christmas vacation in New York City amid the couple going through their own respective trials as student-athletes.

1. Megan Rapinoe & Sue Bird

Two of the greatest of all time in their respective sports, Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird are a dynamic duo and sports power couple across the board. The couple reportedly met in 2016 during the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

While a part of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team, Rapinoe won two World Cups (2015 and 2019) prior to retiring in 2023. Bird played 19 seasons with the Seattle Storm and helped lead the Storm to four WNBA championships at point guard. While both are now retired, Rapinoe expressed heavily how she loved to support Bird at her WNBA games. The couple publicly shared that they were dating in 2017 and have been engaged since 2020. In 2018 they became the first openly gay couple to pose for the ESPN Body Issue.