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Laura Govan is a TV actress and entrepreneur known for her appearances on *Basketball Wives* and *Basketball Wives LA*. She was a main cast member on the first and second seasons of *Basketball Wives* and returned as a guest on the fifth season. Govan is also known for her former relationship with professional basketball player Gilbert Arenas, with whom she shares four children.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Laura Govan |
| Known As | Mother of Gilbert Arenas' four children |
| Profession | TV Actress, Entrepreneur |
| Known For | Almost Amazing (2017), JC Tha Barber (2017), Basketball Wives LA (2011) |
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Number of Children | 4 |
| Children's Names | Izela Arenas, Alijah Arenas, Hamiley Arenas, Aloni Arenas |
| Previous Relationship | With Gilbert Arenas from 2002 to 2014 |
| Education | Bachelor's degree in International Business, Master's degree in Sports Psychology |
| Ethnicity | African-American, Mexican, part Hawaiian |
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What You'll Learn
Laura Govan's relationship with Gilbert Arenas
Laura Govan and Gilbert Arenas met in 2001 when Arenas was playing for the Golden State Warriors. They began dating in 2002 and quickly became one of LA's most talked-about couples. They had four children together: Izela, Alijah, Hamiley, and Aloni Arenas. The couple also got engaged in September 2008 but split up in 2014.
Laura Govan, sister of Gloria Govan, is a TV actress and entrepreneur known for her roles in Almost Amazing (2017), JC Tha Barber (2017), and Basketball Wives LA (2011). She was a basketball player in high school and attended New Mexico State University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in International Business and a Master's in Sports Psychology.
Gilbert Arenas is a former NBA player. He and Laura Govan were together for nearly a decade but never married, despite getting engaged. Govan has since claimed that Arenas used manipulative tactics in their relationship, including using their children against her. She has also argued that Arenas' child support payments of $7,000 per month are insufficient to cover essentials like education and daily needs.
Despite their split, Govan and Arenas continue to co-parent their four children. Govan has stated that their relationship has worsened over time, as Arenas now uses their children to get to her. She also experienced a difficult period shortly after their breakup when she and her children were temporarily without shelter.
Laura Govan became a fan favorite on 'Basketball Wives' due to the chaos and drama she caused on the show.
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Her four children with Gilbert Arenas
Laura Govan and Gilbert Arenas had four children together: Izela, Alijah, Hamiley, and Aloni Arenas. Izela Semaya Arenas, their first child, was born on December 24, 2005. Laura was 26 when she became pregnant for the first time. On March 16, 2007, the couple welcomed their son Alijah Amani Arenas. Three years later, on December 9, 2009, they had another child, Hamiley Penny Arenas. The following year, on June 1, 2011, they welcomed their fourth child, son Aloni Kianno Arenas.
Almost ten years after their breakup, Arenas and Govan's children have a healthy relationship with both their parents. In 2024, the former couple came together to celebrate their daughter Izela's senior night, an event held to honour high school senior athletes. Izela, who was a standout guard for Sierra Canyon, has verbally committed to playing for the Louisville Cardinals. She is not the only one of the four children to have inherited her parents' athletic abilities. Aloni made headlines in the seventh grade when footage of him scoring on high schoolers went viral. ESPN's SportsCenter Next covered the story on social media and predicted a bright future for the young athlete.
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Her acting career
Laura Govan is a TV actress and entrepreneur known for her roles in Almost Amazing (2017), JC Tha Barber (2017), and Basketball Wives LA (2011). She was a main cast member on the first and second seasons of Basketball Wives, and also appeared as a guest on the fifth season.
Laura joined the cast of Basketball Wives LA in 2011, and remained on the show for two years before leaving in 2012. She became a fan favorite, known for causing chaos and drama, and displaying wild, aggressive behavior. She has since garnered a reputation for her volatile public persona, and her life outside of the show has been filled with the same energy.
Laura's decision to join the show was driven by anger. She told Iyanla Vanzant that she was "angry. [With] my life. With my ex. I was angry. I remember just being bitter." At the time, she had four young children with her ex-partner, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, and was living by herself in a 15,000 square-foot house.
Laura and Gilbert's relationship began in 2002 when they met while she was working in public relations for the Sacramento Kings. They got engaged in September 2008 and had four children together: Izela, Alijah, Hamiley, and Aloni Arenas. The couple split up in 2014, after twelve years together.
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Her relationship with her sister, Gloria Govan
Laura Govan, sister of Gloria Govan, is a main cast member on the first and second seasons of Basketball Wives. She also appears as a guest on the fifth season. Laura's time on the show was marked by chaos and drama, making her a fan favourite. She is known for her aggressive behaviour, which her father admitted was a result of his strict parenting style.
Laura and Gloria Govan share deep and strong family ties. However, Laura has expressed doubts about how the Hollywood lifestyle is affecting her relationship with her sister. She has also posted about her sister on Instagram, indicating that their relationship may still be somewhat rocky behind the scenes.
Gloria Govan has had her own relationship struggles. She was previously married to Matt Barnes, with whom she had children. They divorced, and in 2023, a court ordered Matt to pay at least $133,000 in child support payments that he had failed to make.
Laura Govan, on the other hand, was previously in a relationship with professional basketball player Gilbert Arenas. They have four children together: Izela, Alijah, Hamiley, and Aloni. Gilbert also has a daughter, Gia, from a previous relationship. Laura and Gilbert got engaged but split up in 2014. Their son, Alijah, was involved in a serious car crash in April 2025 and was in a medically induced coma, from which he has made significant progress in his recovery.
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Her time on Basketball Wives LA
Laura Govan, sister of Gloria Govan, joined the cast of Basketball Wives LA in 2011. She was a main cast member for the first two seasons of the show and returned as a guest in season five.
Laura was working in public relations for the Sacramento Kings when she met her ex-partner, Gilbert Arenas. They were together for over a decade, from 2002 until 2014, and had four children together. They were engaged at one point but ultimately went their separate ways. Laura and Gilbert's children are Izela, Alijah, Hamiley, and Aloni Arenas. Izela, the eldest, was born on December 24, 2005, and is a talented basketball player. Laura's relationship with Gilbert was a central focus of her time on Basketball Wives LA. She argued that she was entitled to part of his fortune, as she claimed he had promised to "share equally" in his wealth. Court documents also alleged that some of his money came from marijuana clinics.
Laura's time on Basketball Wives LA was marked by her aggressive and wild behaviour, which she has said was driven by anger. She became a fan favourite for the chaos and drama she brought to the show. She has since expressed a desire to move beyond her outrageous public persona.
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Frequently asked questions
Laura Govan is a TV actress and entrepreneur known for her role in Basketball Wives LA. She was a main cast member on the first and second seasons of Basketball Wives and became a fan favourite.
Laura Govan is famous for her role in Basketball Wives LA, and for being the ex-girlfriend of NBA star Gilbert Arenas, with whom she has four children. She is also an actress known for her roles in Almost Amazing (2017) and JC Tha Barber (2017).
Laura Govan's sister is Gloria Govan, who was once married to Matt Barnes. Laura's aggressive behaviour has been attributed to her father's parenting style.
Laura Govan is now focused on raising her four children and has expressed a desire to move beyond her outrageous public persona. She is also known to promote a brand named Say La V on her social media.
