Helena Frye
Laura Govan, a former basketball player and TV personality, joined the cast of Basketball Wives LA in 2011 while already separated from her fiancé, Gilbert Arenas. She was on the show for two years before leaving in 2012. Laura has garnered a reputation for displaying wild, aggressive behaviour, both on television and in her tabloid-fuelled life with her ex, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. Laura has four children with Gilbert Arenas, and the pair's relationship has been tumultuous, with Laura alleging that Gilbert cheated on her with her sister, Gloria Govan. Laura's decision to join the show was driven by anger towards her ex, and she has since expressed a desire to move beyond her outrageous public persona.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for joining the show | Anger |
| Reason for leaving the show | Laura and her sister Gloria weren't allowing "all of their reality to be filmed" |
| Laura's baby daddy | NBA player Gilbert Arenas |
| Number of children with Gilbert Arenas | 4 |
| Names of children | Alijah, Hamiley, Aloni, and Izela |
| Laura's ethnicity | African-American, Mexican, and part Hawaiian |
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What You'll Learn
Laura Govan's anger and bitterness
Govan's anger and bitterness stemmed from feeling isolated and resentful. She described feeling alone despite having everything, saying: "I had everything and I had nothing." This sense of bitterness and resentment was directed at Arenas, with whom she was trying to maintain a relationship for the sake of their children. Govan's aggressive behaviour was also directed at her co-star, Draya Michele, whom she assaulted after discovering that Michele had hooked up with Arenas while pretending to be Govan's friend.
Govan's anger and bitterness were so prominent that they became her public persona, both on television and in her tabloid-fuelled life. She described herself as "wild" and admitted to displaying aggressive behaviour. Govan's behaviour was so outrageous that she sought help from Iyanla Vanzant to move beyond her public image. She acknowledged the role of her anger in an interview with Vanzant, where she stated: "I was angry. [With] my life. With my ex. I was angry. I remember just being bitter."
Govan's anger and bitterness were also directed at her sister, Gloria Govan, with whom she had a strained relationship. Laura accused Gloria of sleeping with Arenas, which both Gloria and Arenas denied. This accusation further contributed to Govan's volatile public image and the perception of her as a bitter and aggressive individual.
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Her ex-fiancé, Gilbert Arenas
Laura Govan and Gilbert Arenas have four children together and were engaged to be married. However, the couple separated in 2014, and their relationship has been described as tumultuous.
Arenas, a former NBA player, has been criticised for his behaviour during the breakup. In 2015, he took to Instagram to blast his ex-fiancée, hitting back at those who thought he was a "deadbeat dad". Arenas claimed that he provided for his children's education, meals, clothing, and housing, and alleged that Govan spent the $20,000 she received in monthly child support on clothes for herself.
In 2024, Arenas faced further criticism for bragging about rekindling his relationship with Govan just to swap out her $400,000 engagement ring for a fake. The original ring was reportedly worth $1 million, and Arenas is said to have forcibly taken it back after their breakup. Govan filed a lawsuit over the ring, but she was defeated, and Arenas allegedly used the ring money to pay for his lawyer's fees.
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Her four children
Laura Govan, former cast member of Basketball Wives, has four children with her ex-partner, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas. The children are Izela Arenas, Alijah Arenas, Hamiley Arenas, and Aloni Arenas.
Laura and Gilbert's first child, Izela Semaya Arenas, was born on December 24, 2005. Laura was 26 when she became pregnant for the first time. Izela currently plays basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. Her basketball journey began in high school, where she was the team captain and led her squad to a CIF Open Division championship, an ESPN national championship, a CIF State Open Division title, and four league championships.
Their second child, Alijah Amani Arenas, was born on March 16, 2007, while Gilbert was having an All-Star season with the Washington Wizards. Alijah has gained national attention as a five-star recruit with multiple college offers. As of December 2024, he was ranked as the No. 4 player and No. 1 shooting guard in the class of 2026.
Three years after Izela's birth, Laura and Gilbert welcomed their third child, Hamiley Penny Arenas, on December 9, 2009, during Gilbert's final season with the Wizards. Hamiley began playing basketball as a freshman in high school in 2024 and is expected to be one of her team's top players. In addition to basketball, she is also a budding writer, contributing to her high school publication.
The couple's fourth child, Aloni Kianno Arenas, was born on June 1, 2011, shortly after Gilbert's lone season with the Orlando Magic. Aloni started gaining attention for his basketball skills in the fifth grade when Gilbert shared a video of him dominating during one of his games. By the seventh grade, he had already made waves by scoring against high schoolers.
Despite their separation in 2014, Laura and Gilbert's children have maintained a healthy relationship with both their parents.
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Her relationship with her sister, Gloria Govan
Laura Govan, sister of Gloria Govan, joined the cast of "Basketball Wives" fuelled by anger, as she was going through a difficult time with her ex-husband and former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. Laura and Gloria were introduced in the first season of the show, along with Gloria's sister, Laura. Laura and Gloria's family ties are strong, and the two sisters have defended each other fiercely over the years. Laura has four children with Gilbert Arenas, and the couple was engaged before splitting up in 2014. Laura and Gloria's relationship has been affected by their involvement in the Hollywood lifestyle and the public nature of their lives, including Laura's volatile public persona.
Gloria has also faced challenges, including an arrest and charges of felony child endangerment following an altercation with her ex-husband, retired NBA player Matt Barnes. Laura and Gloria's departure from "Basketball Wives" was reportedly due to their reluctance to allow their entire reality to be filmed. The sisters have strong personalities and have dealt with challenging situations, but they have also shown their supportive side, especially during a difficult time when Laura's and Gilbert's son, Alijah, was in a coma following a car crash.
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Refusing to allow all of their reality to be filmed
Laura Govan joined the cast of 'Basketball Wives LA' in 2011 while already separated from her fiancé, Gilbert Arenas. 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. Govan and Arenas had four children together and had a tumultuous relationship, often fighting on Instagram even after their split.
Govan's decision to join the show was driven by anger. She told Iyanla Vanzant: "I was angry. [With] my life. With my ex. I was angry. I remember just being bitter. I remember I couldn't wait to tell a story that I had sat in this house that was 15,000 square feet, with four babies, by myself. And I couldn't... I couldn't tell nobody. It was like I was drowning. I had everything and I had nothing."
Govan became known for her volatile public persona and wild, aggressive behaviour, both on television and in her tabloid-fuelled life. She also displayed aggression on the show towards her co-star Draya Michele, who she discovered had hooked up with her ex-husband, Gilbert Arenas.
Govan eventually left 'Basketball Wives LA' in 2012. Sources connected to the show claimed that Govan, along with her sister Gloria, Malaysia Pargo, and Brooke Bailey, were let go because they weren't allowing "all of their reality to be filmed".
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Frequently asked questions
Laura Govan left Basketball Wives because she was angry with her ex, Gilbert Arenas, with whom she shares four children. She also wanted to tell her story of raising four children alone in a 15,000-square-foot house.
After leaving the show, Laura Govan gained a reputation for her aggressive behaviour, both on television and in her personal life. She also made claims that her sister, Gloria Govan, slept with Gilbert Arenas.
Laura Govan joined the cast of Basketball Wives LA in 2011 while already separated from her fiancé, Gilbert Arenas. She wanted to showcase her life as a single mother of four and express her anger and bitterness towards her ex.
