Ben Shelton Reacts to Girlfriend Trinity Rodman’s Basketball Moment in Atlanta
Ben Shelton took to Instagram on Saturday evening to share a moment from his hometown of Atlanta featuring his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman. The American tennis player was at State Farm Arena watching the Hawks take on the Denver Nuggets. Several major tennis figures had gathered in the city for a big exhibition event happening the next day, providing Shelton with company in the stands.
Ben Shelton’s Instagram Story Featuring Trinity Rodman
Shelton was accompanied by his girlfriend, Rodman, to the State Farm Arena on December 5 for the Hawks’ game against the Denver Nuggets. Along with him, the four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka was courtside, with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Australian player Nick Kyrgios. Christopher Eubanks, another tennis player based in Atlanta, was also in attendance. The basketball game was very close, with the Denver Nuggets coming back from way down to win 134-133 over the Hawks.
All four of them were in town for The Atlanta Cup, an exhibition tournament which was held on Saturday, December 6, at Gas South Arena. Osaka and the local champion, Shelton, teamed up against Sabalenka and Kyrgios, who will face each other in the fourth Battle of the Sexes match on December 28.
After the match, the Atlanta Hawks posted a reel on Instagram. It showed Rodman scoring from halfcourt and dancing comically after scoring the shot. Shelton reposted it on his Instagram story, with a sigh of relief emoji, appreciating the brilliant shot.
Trinity Rodman’s NWSL Contract Controversy
Shelton and Rodman first confirmed they were dating back in March 2025 through some playful back-and-forth on social media. Over the past several months, Rodman has been a constant presence for Shelton at his tennis tournaments, including Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open this year, to support him.
Meanwhile, Rodman has been dealing with a major situation in her soccer career. Washington Spirit wanted to sign her to a four-year contract that would have paid her over a million dollars per year on average. It would have been the biggest contract in NWSL history, but the league rejected the deal, stating it didn’t fit their rules.
Because of that rejection, the players’ union (NWSLPA) filed a formal grievance on December 3. They argued the league violated Rodman’s free agency rights and went against at least five sections of their collective bargaining agreement.
The union said the deal actually followed all the rules that existed. This whole situation has turned into one of the biggest labour issues in women’s soccer right now and could change how the league pays its top players going forward.
