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D’Angelo Russell announces incredible personal news ahead of Mavericks season

Joe Mayo

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D’Angelo Russell announces incredible personal news ahead of Mavericks season image

D’Angelo Russell has had quite the offseason, securing a new deal with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency before revealing a significant personal milestone Tuesday. 

Earlier this summer, Russell signed a two-year, $11.7 million contract with Dallas, which includes a player option for the 2026-27 campaign. On Tuesday, the 29-year-old’s longtime girlfriend, Laura Ivaniukas, shared a joint Instagram post announcing the couple’s engagement with the caption: “Ms. to Mrs.. Loading.”  

Russell met his now-fiancee at a New York Fashion Week event before going public with their relationship in 2020, according to People. The couple has two children together — a son, Riley, born in 2022, and a daughter, Mila-Rose, born in 2024. 

MORE: Mavericks' Klay Thompson prioritizing team chemistry ahead of 2025-26 season

Mavericks, D’Angelo Russell preparing for training camp 

Following the couple’s big announcement, Russell is now preparing to join the Mavericks for training camp ahead of the team’s preseason opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 6. Entering his 11th season in the NBA, the veteran point guard is expected to start for Dallas while Kyrie Irving recovers from a torn ACL, which is expected to sideline him until at least January. 

Russell is coming off a down season in 2024-25, during which he averaged 12.6 points, 5.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals across 25.5 minutes per game in 58 regular-season appearances between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets. He also shot career lows in field-goal percentage (39.0) and three-point percentage (31.4). 

However, he’ll look to bounce back in a sizable role for a Mavericks team that is determined to go on a deep playoff run after missing the postseason in the 2024-25 campaign.

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Joe Mayo

Joe Mayo is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. Born and raised in Wisconsin, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2024. He’s also a contributor at RotoWire. While Joe primarily writes about the NBA, he also covers the WNBA and MLB.