The Memphis Grizzlies player has been engaged to his fiancée Maisa Hallum since December 2022. However, apart from announcing his engagement, Smart tends to keep his relationship with Hallum out of the spotlight and off social media, instead dedicating his Instagram page to basketball and his charity work.
Though they may be private, Hallum has been spotted supporting Smart courtside at basketball games. She even sent him a sweet video message during the Celtics' playoff run in 2020, where NBA players finished the rest of the season in the "bubble" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Marcus is honestly like the ultimate competitor,” she said in the video. “He just makes you wanna play hard because he gives it his all every second of every game and he always says, ‘I’m gonna play like it’s my last game.’ So I feel like people feed off of that energy and it makes you want to compete at the level that he’s competing at at all times.”
Smart was all smiles after he saw the clip and said it was “awesome.”
The couple are also passionate about their philanthropic endeavors and have supported each other through the years of their relationship.
So who is Marcus Smart’s fiancée? Here’s everything to know about Maisa Hallum and her relationship with the NBA star.
She is from California
Hallum grew up in California alongside her sister, she shared in an interview with Blueprint Concepts’ “Women Making Waves” series in April 2020.
“Being born and raised in California, we always grew up around the beach and we found ourselves in swimwear more than streetwear,” Hallum said, referring to the inspiration behind her and her sister’s swimwear company.
She co-founded a swimwear company
One of Hallum’s passions is her company, Sousa Swim, which she co-founded alongside her sister.
“Being able to create pieces that make women feel confident in their skin is rewarding in itself, I think that’s the most important thing to me,” she said in her Blueprint Concepts interview.
Hallum added that she founded the company after graduating from college and has been focused on developing designs for the brand.
“What inspired our first season was the need for basics and essentials, just keeping it really simple and clean, you can’t go wrong with that,” she said. “We take inspiration from our everyday life, whether that’s being in the city or being on vacation.”
While an Instagram page for Sousa Swim exists, the account contains no posts.
She joined Smart at a gala in October 2017
In October 2017, Hallum was photographed with Smart at the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation Tip-Off Gala. The event took place at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in Boston.
The Celtics' Facebook page posted pictures of the event, where Hallum was captured posing with the NBA player.
He proposed on Christmas Day
Five years later, Smart proposed to Hallum on Christmas Day in 2022. He enlisted the help of Hallum’s favorite actor, Will Smith, for the engagement.
In a video of his proposal that Smart posted on Instagram, Hallum appeared confused as she watched a video message from Smith, who wished her a Merry Christmas from Antarctica.
“I know that you may not have gotten the stuff that you wanted,” he added. “I promise you, you’re not going to end this Christmas empty-handed.”
At that, Hallum turned around to see Smart get down on one knee and pop the question, much to her surprise. “She said Y E S'! (Whew!),“ Smart captioned the post. “Thanks @willsmith for the setup help!”
The former Boston Celtics player later shared that Smith is Hallum’s favorite actor, so he wanted to incorporate him into the proposal.
“It was cool, Will didn’t have to do that, he took time out of his day so I really appreciate it,” Smart told reporters. “She likes Will Smith, he’s one of her favorite actors.”
She and her family are supportive of Smart
Hallum has been photographed sitting courtside during Smart’s games, and her family also tags along.
Though Hallum doesn’t have an Instagram account, her sister, Naseme, often posts pictures of her family as they support Smart at matches and other endeavors.
Naseme even seemed to celebrate Smart’s birthday with him in March 2022, captioning a photo, “More lifeee my brother???????? .”
They do philanthropic work together
Hallum has supported Smart in his charities as he continues to work with philanthropic causes through his YounGameChangers foundation. In December 2017, the pair attended an event hosted by YounGameChangers, called “An Evening with Marcus Smart.”
The following year, Hallum was photographed giving out candy on Halloween at the Boston Children’s Hospital as part of the Celtics Women’s Group.
