Here’s a phrase we never expected to say: there’s a new cute couple who started dating during the pandemic. How do rich, beautiful people do it?
Canadian model Winnie Harlow, 26, is dating basketball player Kyle Kuzma, 25. The two have been seen together since the spring, and it appears to be getting serious: Harlow joined Kuzma in Orlando once the teams that made the playoffs were allowed to invite family members into the NBA bubble. Earlier this week, she posted Instagram stories showing her plane ride to Florida and her view from an Orlando balcony.
On Kuzma’s birthday in July, Harlow posted a carousel of photos of the two of him on his own and the two of them together, including a very wholesome pic of the two of them sleeping on separate ends of a video chat.
“Endless hours of quarantine FaceTimes and now I’m hooked,” she wrote. “Blessed to know your beautiful heart and soul.”
Kuzma, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, spent his birthday within the NBA bubble. But distance didn’t stop Harlow from letting him know she cared: she apparently commissioned an airplane to fly over the Disney resorts where he was staying, which broadcast the message “Happy birthday King Kuz, I love you — Winnie.”
And don’t worry, the two of them appear to be taking COVID-19 precautions seriously. Harlow, who grew up in Missisauga, Ont. has posted videos of herself getting tested on her Instagram stories. And now that she’s in the bubble, she seems to be getting tested daily, at least according to her social media.
Guests to the NBA bubble have to follow strict protocol, including a seven-day quarantine during which they undergo daily testing. After the seven days are up, they’re still subject to periodic tests.
Kuzma grew up in Flint, Mi. before moving to Utah for university and eventually signing with the Lakers in 2017. That year, legendary player Charles Barkley called him the team’s best rookie, ranking him above celebrated rookie Lonzo Ball.
He’s also known for being covered in tattoos. He got his first one when he was 18: a lion on his shoulder (“I’m a Leo, so you know, kind of just makes sense”) that transitions into a basketball. Some of his other tattoos include his mom’s eyes, some Bible verses, the Monopoly man, and a big “Space Jam” tribute.
He’s thought to have met Harlow at a Fashion Week party last September, although they didn’t start dating until a few months later, when they effectively moved in together during the pandemic.
That these two have had their whole relationship so far play out under these parameters is wild, but no less wild than the way any other relationship has flourished or been tested during this chaotic time. Love finds a way!