Australian basketball star Ben Simmons is reportedly engaged to a British TV personality after just seven months of dating.
Australian basketballer Ben Simmons is engaged to British TV presenter Maya Jama, according to The Sun.
NBA player Simmons popped the question over Christmas, but the pair had kept the news quiet, only telling close family and friends.
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Maya, 27, began dating Aussie Simmons, 25, in May and fell in love with the 6ft 11in hunk during trips to the US.
She spent Christmas with the Philadelphia 76ers star at his $6.8 million mansion in Moorestown, New Jersey.
And now, with unsettled Simmons’ future with the Sixers unclear, Maya, from Bristol, is ready to make a permanent move to the US to be with him in a new city.
It is thought they could move to Los Angeles, as Simmons bought a $27 million home there in July.
Confirming the engagement, a source close to the couple told The Sun: “Ben adores Maya and has fallen head over heels for her. He picked up the ring on Jewellers’ Row in the diamond district of Philadelphia the day before he proposed.
“He chose the ring himself and felt he knew exactly what she would want. Maya said yes and they’re both thrilled.”
The source said Simmons had been nervous about popping the question because Maya had said no to a previous ex when he proposed.
They added: “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.
“Maya flew to New Jersey to spend Christmas with him and is still there now.
“They had a small family gathering last weekend and announced their engagement.”
Simmons, who once dated Kendall Jenner, 26, and Maya, who dated rapper Stormzy, 28, have since had matching tattoos to mark their love.
And the tattoo artist who did the work let slip that Simmons had a fiancée in an Instagram post.
In the post, which was swiftly deleted, Philly Joe, who has a studio in Pennsylvania, wrote: “Honored and humbled to have gotten this opportunity to tattoo my boy @bensimmons and his fiancée.”
The source added: “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.”
Jama has had plenty of different roles on British TV and is currently appearing on ITV talent show Walk The Line. She also been a host of reality show Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star as well as being a celebrity guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. She also has a fashion line and range of skincare masks.
Simmons and Jama went public with their relationship at Wimbledon in July and weren’t shy of showing some public displays of affection in the stands.
This article originally appeared in The Sun and has been reproduced with permission.