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Mallory Edens
A college athlete turned model and influencer, Mallory Edens is the daughter of American billionaire and private equity investor Wes Edens, co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and his wife Lynn. Born on 18th April 1996 in New York City, USA, Mallory was first rumored to be dating American Football New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers in December 2022, when they were spotted together at a basketball game.
Career & Lifestyle
As an NBA heiress with a father worth over $3 billion, Mallory’s lavish lifestyle is out of reach of the average citizen. The beautiful blonde, who is currently represented by the modeling agency Women Management Los Angeles, has worked for high-profile designers such as Alessandra Rich and Alaia and also founded her own media company, Little Ray Media, in March 2023.
According to the fledging company’s Instagram page, Little Ray Media’s mission is “to tell stories by and about women and girls, through the financing, development, and production of film, TV, and other forms of premium content”. Little Ray recently announced its first project, a movie named “Bad Genius”, in collaboration with Picture Start and Picture Perfect Federation. Although details of “Bad Genius” have yet to be revealed, the movie will star Jabari Banks, Callina Liang, and other rising talents.
Mallory has used her father’s ample connections to her advantage, and clearly wants to follow in his mogul footsteps; in fact, she once told TMZ Sports that she wanted to buy the Knicks of the NBAone day. The influencer and businesswoman first gained public awareness when she represented the Milwaukee Bucks at the 2014 NBA draft lottery. Stylish and educated, she matriculated from Trevor Day School before pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Princeton University.
Sports are an undeniably important part of Mallory’s life, as she was part of the Women’s Cross Country and Women’s Track and Field teams at Princeton. Horse-riding was another of her passions until she fractured her skull in an accident during her senior year of high school, but to this day, the blonde is a keen runner who participates in marathons to raise funds for causes close to her heart.
In 2017, Mallory published an op-ed in Time magazine, “The Problem With Pink Sports Jerseys”, speaking about how women are often marginalized in sports. “It should really shock us how few women there continue to be in the upper echelons of professional sports,” Mallory wrote. “The imparity is of a magnitude we tolerate in no other industry of its size.”
As someone immersed in the sports industry, Mallory has also used her voice to condemn racism and other issues that affect it. The philanthropist champions a number of social causes, such as abortion rights, sexual assault awareness, mental health advocacy, and feeding the hungry. All in all, the model always tries to give back by supporting as many organizations and initiatives as she can.
Personal Life
As mentioned, Mallory and Aaron were first rumored to be dating in December 2022 when they were seen chatting and seated next to each other at a Milwaukee Bucks game. The Jets quarterback was previously engaged to actress Shailene Woodley, but broke things off in February 2022 after a lengthy engagement.
It’s worth noting that Aaron shares a long-running friendship with the Edens family and has been sitting with them at games since 2019, so at first not many people paid attention to the rumors. Nevertheless, in January 2023 sources close to Aaron confirmed that the unlikely couple were a thing, saying: “It’s more than friends, but it’s casual. Nothing serious at all. He’s not looking to rush into anything.”
For now, most media outlets still describe Mallory as Aaron’s rumored or reported girlfriend, and it’s likely that things will stay that way until the model confirms the news herself. Although the future Hall of Famer has won four MVP awards and earned 10 Pro Bowl selections, Aaron’s career has often been overshadowed by his controversial statements and his colorful dating history, and the 13-year age gap between himself and Mallory has been criticized by netizens.
Back in August 2021, reporters asked Aaron about his COVID-19 vaccination status, to which he replied that he was immunized. However, it became clear three months later that he had misled reporters and was, in fact, unvaccinated, which caused a tremendous backlash. In an interview with Pat McAfee, the Jets player explained that he had undergone an alternative treatment due to being allergic to an ingredient in the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and not wanting to get the Johnson & Johnson jab after informing himself about its reported side effects.
In 2017, Aaron’s father told the New York Times that Aaron’s fame had changed things between them, confirming that his son had cut off various family members for undisclosed reasons. More recently, Aaron spoke about his use of psychedelic drugs such as ayahuasca helping him to play the “best season” of his NFL career and to love himself. Lastly, rumors regarding Aaron’s sexual orientation have also plagued the player since 2014, and despite being linked to a number of high-profile women, there are still those who believe that the relationships are cover-ups.
Wes Edens
Wes Edens was born in Helena, Montana, on 30th October 1961. The businessman is the co-owner of Fortress Investment Group, founder of New Fortress Energy, and co-owner of the football holding company V Sports, which owns the English Premier League football club Aston Villa.
In 1984, the billionaire received a BSc in Finance and Business Administration from Oregon State University. He and his wife share four children, and in his free time he enjoys mountain climbing, alpine skiing, horse jumping, and other sports. Wes is also the owner of Caldera House, a private ski club and boutique hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Wes’s career began in 1987 as a partner and managing director of Lehman Brothers. In 1993, he joined BlackRock’s private equity division as a partner and managing director, leaving the position after four years. His plentiful business ventures include Springleaf Financial Services, Cincoro Tequila, and an agreement to purchase a 46% stake in the Portuguese Premier League team Vitoria de Guimaraes.
