GOOD NEWS: Dawn Staley Announces Engagement to Plies After Long Secret Relationship — And Fans Are Loving It!
In a surprise that no one saw coming—but everyone is celebrating—basketball legend Dawn Staley has officially announced her engagement to rapper Plies, after what she calls “a beautiful, quiet journey of love, laughter, and late-night phone calls.”
The announcement came in a joint Instagram post that instantly went viral: a photo of Dawn flashing a gorgeous diamond ring while Plies grinned beside her, both wearing matching white outfits on a beach at sunset. The caption simply read:
“We kept it real. We kept it us. And now, we’re keeping it forever.”
Fans were floored. The pairing—seemingly from two very different worlds—had kept their relationship entirely off the radar for nearly two years. But according to close friends, the connection was genuine from the start.
“They met at a charity gala in Atlanta,” a mutual friend shared. “Plies walked right up to her and said, ‘I may not know hoops, but I know greatness when I see it.’ She laughed—and that was it.”
Despite their vastly different careers—Dawn dominating the basketball world as a Hall of Fame player and championship-winning coach, and Plies bringing raw Southern charm and wit to the rap scene—the two reportedly bonded over a love of community service, family values, and old-school R&B.
“She’s structure and leadership,” said a source close to Dawn. “He’s passion and spontaneity. They balance each other in ways no one would expect.”
The couple kept their relationship low-key, opting for private dinners, quiet weekends, and long FaceTime calls during travel. “We knew what we had was rare,” Dawn shared in a brief interview with Essence. “So we protected it until it felt strong enough to share.”
And share it they did. Within hours of the engagement announcement, fans and celebrities poured out their love. Serena Williams, Gabrielle Union, and even Shaquille O’Neal chimed in with congratulatory messages. Plies also dropped a surprise freestyle on Instagram, ending it with:
“I found my MVP — not Most Valuable Player, but Most Valuable Partner.”
No wedding date has been revealed yet, but sources say the couple plans a small, elegant ceremony later this year. Until then, one thing’s clear: love just scored big tim
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