Inside Kyrie Irving's Dating History
NBA all-star player Kyrie Irving plays for the Brooklyn Nets as point guard. When he began his professional career, he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, which introduced him to NBA legend LeBron James. Despite winning an NBA championship together in 2016, they have had a rocky relationship. Following this, Irving joined the Boston Celtics until he was signed to the Nets in 2019, per the NBA.
The Nets were really excited to land Irving. As their general manager Sean Marks said, "Kyrie is one of the NBA's elite guards and has won at the highest level. His championship pedigree, coupled with his gifted scoring and playmaking abilities, will make him an outstanding addition to our team. We're very excited to welcome Kyrie and his family to Brooklyn."
Like the rest of the NBA — and honestly, all of us — Irving continues to mourn the loss of Kobe Bryant and used his Instagram clout to endorse the idea of Bryant becoming the new face of the NBA's logo, according to Sports Illustrated. Irving captioned it: "Gotta Happen, idc what anyone says. BLACK KINGS BUILT THE LEAGUE."
While Irving's life is clearly NBA-focused, he also has a life off the court, which namely consists of dating amazing women. So here's the scoop on Irving's dating history.
Did a diamond ring on Marlene Wilkerson's finger mean an engagement?
Kyrie Irving began dating YouTuber and influencer Marlene Wilkerson (aka Golden) in 2018, according to PopCulture. The duo were first seen at his invitational when Irving was playing for the Boston Celtics, per SportsGossip.com. Interestingly, the pair never officially announced that they were together, but in 2019, TMZ caught the two of them walking around New York City with Golden sporting a massive ring on that finger. When photographers congratulated them on an engagement, they did not deny anything.
However, by November 2020, it appeared that the two had stopped following each other on social media, as YardBarker noticed. Not only that, but they each deleted photos of one another on their own accounts, so it's safe to assume that the relationship is over.
Golden, for her part, has a booming online presence. Her Instagram is popping, with more than 400k followers, and her YouTube channel, The Find Guru, focuses on fashion, hair, and fitness, boasting more than 700k subscribers there. Golden even has videos on starting businesses and how to be an entrepreneur. We love her (even if Irving does not seem to anymore).
Kyrie Irving got close to DJ Chantel Jeffries
Kyrie Irving was spotted on a date with DJ, producer, and model Chantel Jeffries in June 2018, according to TMZ. The two were spotted holding hands at a movie theater in California, where they went to see Incredibles 2. Adorable! They were also seen earlier that year in New York City together, as TMZ reports, but it was not totally clear if they were dating. In fact, their relationship did not last very long.
No worries, though, because Jeffries has a pretty amazing life on her own. The Daily Mail calls her one of the top lingerie models and it makes sense. She has modeled for Rihanna's Savage/Fenty, as well as Kim Kardashian's SKIMS line, plus she has modeled for PrettyLittleThing, Fashion Nova, and Inamorata, Emily Ratajkowski's brand. It looks like everyone wants the DJ to rock their stuff!
Jeffries was previously linked to Justin Bieber and The Weeknd, according to TMZ. So where is she now? Well, we have done a little internet sleuthing and it is clear that Jeffries has moved on and is currently dating fellow DJ and member of The Chainsmokers, Drew Taggart. In fact, her Instagram account is full of happy photos of the couple together. Good for her!
Gabrielle Lexa was a dancer for the Atlanta Hawks
Kyrie Irving got close to former Atlanta Hawks dancer Gabrielle Lexa in 2017, according to Black Sports Online, so she's familiar with life on the court, too. The pair dated, but parted ways shortly thereafter. However, when Lexa moved to Los Angeles, where Irving spends his time during the off-season, they decided to give it another shot, according to The Fumble. Unfortunately, the relationship did not last.
But what's Lexa all about? She's originally from New Orleans, La., and was a huge hit on Vine before the site folded, according to the NBA's fast facts about her. She has since channeled this energy to TikTok and Instagram, where she has several thousand followers, so our girl clearly knows how to make her presence known on the internet. It would also appear that she has long since moved on from Irving because, in a clip shared in February 2021, Lexa uploaded a video detailing how she made her boyfriend's birthday special. Sorry, Irving!
Kyrie Irving dated R&B legend Kehlani Parrish
Kyrie Irving dated R&B singer Kehlani Parrish, but when they broke up in 2016, the world came after her in a really harsh way. Kehlani was accused of cheating on Irving with her former boyfriend, PartyNextDoor, when he posted a photo of himself in bed with Kehlani, according to Us Weekly. Backlash was swift and cruel to the point where Kehlani tried to complete suicide, according to the outlet. In response, Irving came forward and clarified that he and Kehlani had already broken up when the photo of her and PartyNextDoor surfaced.
"It's been hard to see what's been going on and not address the truth," Irving said in a since-deleted tweet (via Us Weekly). "I do not justify the picture or what dude did to try and spark all of this nonsense that could have been avoided, but me and Kehlani were not dating when the picture came out." He added, "It's unfortunate that it's received so much attention but it's become bigger because of a post that was misunderstood."
They remained friends, according to Entertainment Tonight, and Kehlani expressed her gratitude towards Irving on Instagram, in a since-deleted post, saying: "I appreciated it no matter how long it took, [I] respect it being done period when really neither of us should be the one apologizing. All love on this side!"
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Kyrie Irving has a daughter with Andrea Wilson
Kyrie Irving is a dad! The NBA star welcomed a baby with Andrea Wilson, who won Miss Texas USA in 2010, according to FanBuzz, as they dated from 2013 to 2015. They had a little girl named Azurie Elizabeth Irving, who was born on Nov. 23, 2015.
Irving made sure he would always be present in his daughter's life. According to TMZ, he did this by getting a paternity test and filed a petition, where he said he would cover all expenses, including medical ones, and that he wants his daughter raised in Texas. His lawyer, Jim Mueller, told the outlet: "In filing this petition, Kyrie is doing the right thing, taking responsibility and actively seeking to establish his rights so that he can be involved the day he becomes a father from the outset."
However, when Irving started dating Kehlani Parrish, Wilson allegedly commented on one of Kehlani's Instagram photos, according to Black Sports Online, saying that Irving should spend more time with his daughter. This was obviously a short-lived problem because Azurie regularly pops up on Irving's Instagram, including this sweet clip where he wished her a happy birthday. It's not hard to figure out who the most important girl in Irving's world is and always will be!