• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

'Basketball Wives' Star Suzie Ketchum on NBA 'Wife' Life

"Basketball Wives" star Suzie Ketchum says she first encountered the NBA "wife" lifestyle at 19 years old, not knowing what it all meant. "All of a sudden there was all this money and clothes and cars, so of course you get wrapped up in the lifestyle," she says. After 10 years she left NBA player Michael Olowokandi to become a real estate agent and raise their two children. She spoke with ESSENCE.com about the NBA "wife" lifestyle and rumored reports that the NBA has banned all players from watching the show...
‘Basketball Wives’ Star Suzie Ketchum on NBA ‘Wife’ Life
By Yolanda Sangweni · Updated October 29, 2020
suzie-ketchum.jpg
“Basketball Wives” star Suzie Ketchum says she first encountered the NBA “wife” lifestyle at 19 years old, not knowing what it all meant. “All of a sudden there was all this money and clothes and cars, so of course you get wrapped up in the lifestyle,” she says. After 10 years she left NBA player Michael Olowokandi to become a real estate agent and raise their two children. She spoke with ESSENCE.com about the NBA “wife” lifestyle and rumored reports that the NBA has banned all players from watching the show…   ESSENCE.com: Is it true that the NBA has banned players and their wives from watching your show? SUZIE KETHCUM: That’s something that I heard through friends that are associated with some of the teams, especially the Miami Heat. That’s why a lot of wives weren’t able to be on the show. I do understand that the organization doesn’t want players to deal with that during the season. ESSENCE.com: Your castmate Jennifer Williams has described the NBA “wife” lifestyle as dysfunctional. Do you agree? KETCHUM: It’s definitely chaotic and things seem to happen all at once and very fast. I don’t think it’s only the NBA, though. It probably pertains to any young person that makes a lot of money at a young age. You get all sorts of people who want to be associated with you, and want things from you. And then you have women all over you, so temptation is also a factor. ESSENCE.com: You were in a relationship for 10 years, though. You must have known what you were getting into? KETCHUM: I met my ex when I was pretty young and he was always very much about me and our home and our privacy. I think when you’re so young you don’t really know yourself yet so what you think that what’s his is also yours. And for a while you’ll do anything to protect that until it gets to a point where you’re like, ‘Wow, wait a minute, why am I living my life this way?’ ESSENCE.com: What was it like? KETCHUM: All of a sudden there was all this money and clothes and cars and we were in Los Angeles, so of course you get wrapped up in the lifestyle. Some people stay wrapped, but for me a big life-changing moment was my father being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and dying. That’s when I said, ‘I don’t want to live my life like this. I want someone who’s going to be a partner.’ I had all these money and beautiful cars but felt so empty. ESSENCE,com: Can you relate to Gloria Govan since she’s so young and in a relationship with an NBA player? KETCHUM: I think all of us can relate because at one point we all thought our men would never cheat. There was a couple of years where I thought Michael would never cheat. I think part of it is just being young and being inexperienced. Some women might stay like that their entire lives with a guy like that, but it wasn’t for me. ESSENCE.com: Is it the same kind of temptation even when players retire? KETCHUM: I thought things would calm down, but I think a lot of athletes have a hard time accepting retirement and so it doesn’t really get that much better.
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now