Arike Ogunbowale has spent years terrorizing defenses across the WNBA, but this February, the Dallas Wings guard pulled off her most meaningful play yet: a secret wedding that she kept under wraps for nearly a month.
The four-time WNBA All-Star married her longtime partner, Dallas-based influencer Lala Ronay, in a private ceremony on February 24, 2026, in Miami. Ogunbowale revealed the news on Instagram in late March, sharing photos of the couple standing on the steps of a Beaux Arts building, both holding up their left hands to show off matching platinum wedding bands.
Her caption was simple and complete: “here’s to a lifetime of us 💍♾️”.
Who Is Lala Ronay?
Lala Ronay is a Dallas-based digital content creator and beauty influencer. She has built a following of nearly half a million on Instagram and roughly 300,000 on TikTok, where she specializes in hair care, fashion, and lifestyle content.
Ronay, who is 30, has been a visible presence at Ogunbowale’s Wings games, frequently posting courtside moments and documenting their relationship for her followers. She also creates custom fashion pieces and curated looks, skills that no doubt came in handy for her own wedding wardrobe.
A Proposal Straight Out of a Movie
The couple’s engagement in May 2024 was as theatrical as it was heartfelt. Ronay walked into their home to find it filled with flowers, with Ogunbowale waiting at the door as Fridayy’s “When It Comes to You” played in the background.
The couple then walked a red carpet where Ogunbowale got down on one knee, with a massive sign spelling out “Marry me” behind them. Ogunbowale captioned the proposal post “4EVER💍🖤🌹”.
Nearly two years later, they made it official.
The Wedding Details
Ogunbowale, 29, wore a dark, wide-leg suit with sunglasses for the ceremony, while Ronay wore a fitted white gown and carried a small bouquet. The aesthetic was clean, understated, and entirely in keeping with the couple’s approach to their public life together.
The timing was notably strategic. Ogunbowale tied the knot while playing in the Unrivaled 3×3 league, just before the finals on February 27. She went on to win the title with Team Mist, capping one of the most memorable weeks of her life with a championship.
Ronay posted a behind-the-scenes video from the wedding day to TikTok, captioned simply: “Let’s go marry my best friend.” The video has since been viewed over 30,000 times.
The WNBA Reacts
WNBA players flooded the couple’s social media with congratulations once the news went public.
Breanna Stewart, Ogunbowale’s Unrivaled teammate, wrote: “Waittt so married in Miami???? omggggggg ♥️🏻 congrats!!!!!!!!!”. Paige Bueckers, Ogunbowale’s Dallas Wings teammate, also reacted to the viral post.
Isabelle Harrison, Veronica Burton, Aliyah Boston, and Saniyah Rivers were among the other players celebrating the marriage.
A Quiet Power Couple
Ogunbowale is one of the most decorated players in the WNBA. She’s a four-time All-Star, a two-time All-Star Game MVP, and set an All-Star scoring record with 34 points in 2024. She’s also a Notre Dame legend, famous for hitting back-to-back game-winners in the 2018 NCAA Final Four to deliver a national championship.
Ronay, meanwhile, has built her own platform as a creator and has become a familiar face around the Wings organization, forming relationships with Ogunbowale’s teammates and colleagues.
Together, they’ve crafted a relationship that feels both deeply personal and quietly public: visible enough to inspire fans, private enough to protect what matters. The secret Miami wedding was the perfect embodiment of that balance.
What’s Next for the Newlyweds
With the WNBA season set to begin on time following the resolution of the league’s labor dispute, Ogunbowale’s Wings open their 2026 campaign with a preseason game against Indiana on April 30. Before then, the couple can enjoy some well-earned downtime and perhaps a honeymoon.
For Ogunbowale, the marriage marks a new chapter in a life already full of milestones. For Ronay, it’s a public declaration of a partnership that has been years in the making.
And for fans who have watched Ogunbowale compete with fierce intensity on the court, the wedding photos offer a rare glimpse of a different kind of victory: quiet, joyful, and shared.
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