Ben Simmons has been the talk of the town all season for the Philadelphia 76ers. After his shockingly disappointing performance in last year's NBA playoff defeat to the Atlanta Hawks, Ben wanted out of Philly.
He has requested to be traded multiple times, and has been citing mental health issues as the reason he is away from the team. Sixers fans never want to see Ben represent their team ever again, and he gladly agrees. His fall from a promising young star that would lead Philly to postseason glory to an underwhelming, offensively-challenged player has burned bridges all throughout the organization.
However, as that saga continues to loom and the Sixers look for trade partners, Ben's off-the-court life seems to be thriving. Over the summer, he was seen being lovey-dovey with British TV host Maya Jama (27) at the world-famous Wimbledon tennis tournament. That seems to have been around the time the couple began dating, and now they have taken the next step.
According to The Sun, Simmons proposed to Jama over the Christmas holiday, and she said yes, After less than a year of dating, the couple look to tie the knot soon.
Sources close to the situation say the proposal went swimmingly, and Ben and Maya are thrilled to start a life together: "Ben adores Maya and has fallen head over heels for her. He chose the ring himself and felt he knew exactly what she would want. Maya said yes and they’re both thrilled. He and Maya have been together for much less time but, thankfully, she said yes. Ben was so excited, but they’ve decided to keep the news low-key and tell only those closest to them."
While they have not publicized their engagement, sources continued to say they are content with how everything played out: "News is going to get out eventually, but they’re keen to keep it under wraps until the new year. Ben fell for Maya almost immediately and was absolutely taken by her sheer beauty. He tells friends he loves the fact that she has her own career and he’s smitten by her British accent."
How do you feel about Ben Simmons and Maya Jama getting engaged so soon after they started dating?
[Via]