The Las Vegas Aces became only the third team in the WNBA to win back-to-back titles as they defeated the NY Liberty last night. With the series being locked in at 2-1 prior to tipoff, the stakes were high in Barclays Center on Wednesday night as the Aces narrowly beat the Liberty by a score of 70-69. The defensive solidity brought by Vegas was unmatched on the night as the NY Liberty lost their 5th ever WNBA title making them the team with most Finals losses in WNBA history. While the NY Liberty made a piece of unwanted history Wilson and co. lifted their second title in 2 years becoming the first team since Los Angeles Sparks in 2002 to achieve a double. The Aces also became the first team alongside the Liberty to win 30 plus games during the inaugural 40 game season as they continue to be a revelation under coach Becky Hammon. Lifting two titles after her arrival the former Spurs assistant has revolutionized the Aces while stars Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson continue to develop into fine players.

A’ja Wilson was unstoppable on both ends during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals as she scored 24 points and collected 16 rebounds leading her team to victory in opposition territory. Jubilant scenes unfolded as the match clock ran down to zero and the Aces took off celebrating. While pictures of the celebration circulated around the internet, former Washington guard Kelsey Plum’s picture alongside husband and NFL star Darren Waller went viral as many were puzzled if the two were indeed together. While many know Waller and few know about his marriage to Plum here is all you need to know about the power couple’s relationship.

Who is Kelsey Plum’s husband?

Born in Landover, Maryland, Darren Charles Waller was raised in Colorado where he became an excellent athlete but struggled off the field as he was unable to focus academically. While little is known of his family the 31-year-old is the great grandson of legendary jazz musician Fats Waller who was famous for introducing the ‘Harlem Stride’ style. Although producing music himself in his spare time Waller has always been an athlete and attended Georgia Tech in college where he played as a wide receiver. Despite being an important asset Darren only played 3 years in college as he was redshirted during his junior season to focus on his academics while he decided to forgo his final year in college as he entered the 2015 NFL draft.

Drafted in the sixth round as the 204th pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2015 NFL draft signing a 4-year $2.39 million contract which included $104,732 in bonuses. While a part of the training camp during his first season in the NFL the 2020 Pro Bowl athlete was the sixth wide receiver on the depth chart as he began his rookie season behind Steve Smith Sr., Kamar Aiken, Michael Campanaro, Marlon Brown, and Breshad Perriman. Ending his debut season on the injury list, Waller decided to change things up in his second season in Baltimore as John Harbaugh announced that Waller would be converting to the tight end position at the beginning of 2016. While he started 3 games at the start of the season the Maryland native was suspended for 7 games that year as he was found violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. This incident shed light on his past experiences with substance abuse as he admitted having begun abusing oxycodone at age 15 while drinking alcohol aged 16. Reportedly having spent $100 per day on pills during his struggles with oxycodone, Darren later started to use cocaine and in 2017 was dealt with a yearlong ban from the NFL. During this period the tightened nearly lost his life in an overdose episode while sitting in his parked Jeep. After this incident the star then got into a rehabilitation program and was reinstated by the league in 2018 after completing the program at Borden Cottage.

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It was after his time here that Waller reintroduced himself into the league and became an NFL regular as he was signed by the Oakland Raiders and appeared in 4 games during the season. The year 2019 saw the former Georgia Tech receiver elevate his game to another level as he was named as an alternate for the 2020 Pro Bowl. Finishing the season with 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns, the star was ranked 99th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 before being ranked 58th two years later. The year 2022 was a big year for Waller as he signed a three-year, $51 million contract extension with the Raiders, becoming the highest-paid tight end in the league. Now suiting up for the New York Giants in 2023, Waller has been an inspiration to many in this world and is a perfect example of a person overcoming his challenges with grit and determination. Now completely clean Waller started the Darren Waller Foundation in 2020 as he looks to helps youths in overcoming addiction to drugs and alcohol.

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Diving into NFL x WNBA power couples relationship

While the beginnings of their relationship have not been specified it’s speculated that the power couple first started dating in early 2022. With Kelsey’s team having relocated from San Antonio to Vegas in 2018 the point guard has been in sin city since then with her advent coinciding with Waller’s arrival in Oakland. Despite the couple being secretive about their affairs the duo tied the knot earlier this year and shared multiple pictures on Instagram as the two 30-year-old’s finally look set for a happily ever after.

Having applied for a marriage license in January earlier this year, the couple were quick to make it official as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife on March 4th, 2023, with many of their friends and family in attendance. NFL star Odell Beckham jr. and WNBA star Candace Parker were few notable names that sent their well wishes on Instagram as the replied to Plum’s wedding post that read, “Him 🖤 3.4.23.”  Having counted on the Aces to ride through the storm Plum embracing Waller after Vegas’ victory last night is a testament to her statement as she continues to rack up rings on and off the court.

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