Basketball Wives
Basketball Wives is an American reality television series franchise on VH1. It chronicles the everyday lives of women romantically linked to men in the professional basketball industry. The original incarnation was filmed in Miami, Florida and premiered on April 11, 2010. "Basketball Wives LA", a spin-off based in Los Angeles, premiered on August 29, 2011. Both shows ran for five seasons. On March 27, 2017, VH1 announced that "Basketball Wives" would be revived for a sixth season, with its setting relocated to Los Angeles, effectively combining the casts of both the original series and its spinoff. Subsequent  seasons have also featured this hybrid cast. On April 18, 2022, the series was renewed for a 10th season by VH1 set to premiere on Monday, May 16, 2022. Franchise history. Section::::"Basketball Wives" (2010–13). The first season premiered on April 11, 2010, and ran for eight weeks in 30-minute episodes. The announced cast included Jennifer Williams, wife of Eric Williams, Evelyn Lozada, ex-fiancé of Antoine Walker, Mesha O'Neal, wife of Jermaine O'Neal, Royce Reed, former NBA team dancer and the mother of Dwight Howard's oldest son, Faith Rein, Udonis Haslem's girlfriend, and Shaunie O'Neal, wife of  Shaquille O'Neal, who would also serve as an executive producer on the series. Mesha and Faith were replaced by Michael Olowokandi's ex-girlfriend Suzie Ketcham and Matt Barnes' fiancée Gloria Govan when the show aired. Erikka Moxam, ex-girlfriend of Rasual Butler, appeared in a supporting role. A spin-off, "Football Wives", featuring the wives and girlfriend of professional football players, aired from October 24 to December 19, 2010. The show was renewed for a second season of hour-long episodes, which premiered on December 12, 2010. Tami Roman, ex-wife of Kenny Anderson, was added to the cast , replacing Gloria Govan who was demoted to a supporting role, alongside Juli Richmond, wife of Mitch Richmond, Kimberli Russell, wife of Bryon Russell, and Ashley Walker, mother of Rafer Alston’s children. Meeka Claxton, wife of Speedy Claxton, joined the cast in season three, which premiered on May 30, 2011 to 1.8 million viewers. The fourth season premiered on February 20, 2012, following the spin-off "Basketball Wives LA", which concluded in November 2011. Meeka departed the series and was replaced by new cast members Kesha Nichols, ex-fiancée of Richard Jefferson, and Kenya Bell, wife of Charlie Bell. On  March 12, 2012, VH1 announced the spin-off "Ev and Ocho", starring Evelyn Lozada and her fiancé Chad Ochocinco, set to air that September. However, three weeks before the show was to premiere, they shelved the series, following Ochocinco's arrest for assaulting Lozada, and subsequent divorce. The fifth season premiered on August 19, 2013, following the second season of "Basketball Wives LA", which concluded in December 2012. Tasha Marbury, wife of Stephon Marbury, joined the cast, while Royce, Jennifer and Kesha were dropped from the series. Kenya would return in the season finale. According to a 2014 tweet from  Tami Roman, the show was quietly canceled. Revival (2017–present). On March 27, 2017, VH1 announced that the show would be retooled, airing under its original moniker "Basketball Wives" after nearly four years off the air. The sixth season premiered on April 17, 2017. "Basketball Wives" Evelyn Lozada would return to the franchise with "Basketball Wives LA" Jackie Christie and Malaysia Pargo, along with Shaunie O'Neal and Tami Roman who starred in both incarnations. "Basketball Wives" Jennifer Williams and "Basketball Wives LA" Brandi Maxiell would return in supporting roles, with new cast members Keonna Green, ex-girlfriend of Nick Young , Bonnie-Jill Laflin, girlfriend of Kareem Rush, Elena Ahanzadeh, Joe Crawford's girlfriend Cristen Metoyer and her sister Aja, stylist Saniy'yah Samaa, and Hazel Renee. Jennifer was promoted to the main cast in season seven, which premiered on May 14, 2018. New cast members included Kristen Scott, wife of former league coach Thomas Scott, CeCe Gutierrez, girlfriend of Byron Scott, and professional athlete Ogom “OG” Chijindu, girlfriend of basketball player Kwame Alexander. All cast members returned for season eight, premiering on June 19, 2019 along with Feby Torres, ex-girlfriend of Lance Stephenson. Tami Roman departed the show halfway through  the season, citing other career opportunities, as well as CeCe. After over a year long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show returned for a ninth season on February 9, 2021, with new cast members Liza Morales, ex-girlfriend of Lamar Odom, Nia Dorsey, ex-girlfriend of Lance Stephenson and her sister Noria Dorsey, wife of Shawn Taggart. The show was renewed for a tenth season, with Shaunie O'Neal now appearing in a limited capacity. The tenth anniversary season will feature ladies from "Basketball Wives LA": LaTosha Duffey, Angel Brinks, & Brooke Bailey returning in their supportive roles, along with  returning cast members Nia & Noria Dorsey, while "Basketball Wives LA" Brandi Maxiell and Brittish Williams were promoted to the main cast, joining alongside Jennifer, Jackie, and Malaysia. Evelyn Lozada departed the show after nine seasons, as well as Kristen, OG, Feby, and Liza. On April 18, 2022, VH1 announced the show's return for a tenth season on May 16, 2022. Section::::"Basketball Wives LA" (2011–16). On June 20, 2011, VH1 announced that they had expanded the franchise to Los Angeles. The announced cast for "Basketball Wives LA" included Kimsha Artest, wife of Ron Artest, Gloria Govan and her sister Laura  Govan, Jackie Christie, wife of Doug Christie, and Imani Showalter, ex-fiancée of Stephen Jackson. Malaysia Prado, wife of Jannero Pargo, and Draya Michele, a model and aspiring actress with a history of dating basketball players, were announced as cast members a month later. Tanya Williams, wife of Jayson Williams, would also appear, however, was quickly phased out of the show along with Kimsha Artest, who admittedly stopped showing up for filming because of the "shenanigans and drama". The series premiered on August 29, 2011, to 1.81 million viewers. The show was renewed for a second season, which premiered on  September 10, 2012, attracting 1.82 million viewers. Imani Showalter quit the show and moved back to New York, and was replaced by Brooke Bailey, girlfriend of Vernon Macklin. Adiz "Bambi" Benson, Malaysia's friend and an aspiring rapper, appeared in a supporting role. Following the cancellation of the original "Basketball Wives", executive producer Shaunie O'Neal announced that the cast of "Basketball Wives LA" would be retooled for season three. Filming began in August 2013, with new members British Williams, fiancée of Lorenzo Gordon, Brandi Maxiell, wife of Jason Maxiell, and Sundy Carter, mother of Larry Hughes's daughter. Gloria and  Laura Govan confirmed their exit, as did Brooke Bailey. The third-season premiere acquired 1.95 million viewers, the show's highest-rated at the time. This season is also the first and only of the series to reach over 2 million viewers for six consecutive weeks. Season four began production in November 2014 and wrapped in April 2015. The season premiered on July 12, 2015 to 1.90 million viewers, moving from Monday to Sunday nights. Shaunie O'Neal and "Bad Girls Club"s Mehgan James joined the cast, with Tyreke Evans's ex-girlfriend Angel Brinks, Eddy Curry's wife Patrice Curry , and Tami Roman appearing in supporting roles. On September 23, 2015, the show was renewed for a fifth season. Filming began in January 2016 and wrapped in June, with Draya Michelle and Mehgan James departing from the show. They were replaced by Tami Roman and Angel Brinks, who were promoted to the main cast, and new cast members LaTosha Duffey, fiancée of Iman Shokuohizadeh, and Angel Love, girlfriend of DeJuan Blair. It premiered on July 17, 2016 to 1.58 million viewers and a 0.5 in the adults 18–49 rating demographic, making it the lowest rated premiere for the series. It  was followed by the spin-off, "Shaunie's Home Court", starring Shaunie O'Neal, which aired on VH1 for two seasons. Cast timeline. Note: