A Manhattan med student is going viral for teaching thousands of women how to land a professional athlete, and her own love story is the proof of concept. Julia Benville, 29, cold-messaged pro basketball player Josh Sharma on Instagram back in September 2020. This summer, she got the ring, and the couple is planning a 2028 wedding. Her 71,000 followers get the full blueprint, from crafting the perfect opening DM to reading the signals.
The strategy doesn’t stop at the phone screen. Aspiring WAGs, shorthand for wives and girlfriends of athletes, are reportedly scouting NCAA training facilities, working private clubs like Zero Bond, and making the rounds at upscale steakhouses. Critics are quick to call it gold digging, but relationship coach Paige Osorio argues that having financial standards in dating doesn’t make a woman a gold digger, and newly engaged WAG Calli Joy Novak says she’s been trolled online as a money-grubber.
The money angle is hard to ignore when NBA stars like Stephen Curry earn over $62 million per season. But coaches and couples alike say authenticity and shared values matter more than a contract number. So where do you stand: is this bold, strategic dating or a red flag in a jersey?
Would you ever shoot your shot with a pro athlete? Tell us in the comments.
About the Author
Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.