Scoring a 22-carat championship ring, à la the 2026 New York Knicks, is no easy feat.
But scoring a custom blinged-out engagement ring from a professional basketball player is no sweat for WAGs — wives and girlfriends of NBA, NFL and other big league athletes — with game, like Julia Benville, 29.
The gutsy Manhattan med student, engaged to Josh Sharma, 30, a 7-foot hunk playing pro ball in Greece, is schooling single women on how to land a hotshot — while swatting away the dreaded “gold digger” label.
“Just figure out leagues, look up names and team roster pictures, follow [a player] on social media, send him a message and go from there,” Benville encouraged to The Post. “Don’t wait around hoping the world is going to magically give you the man of your dreams. Go after him.”
It’s advice Benville took to heart. She slid a flirty message into Sharma’s DMs in September 2020, though she declined to reveal the details of her digital overture to The Post.
Benville slid into fiance Josh Sharma’s Instagram DM’s with a direct approach that ultimately earned her the enviable “WAG” tag. Courtesy Julia Benville
“You can meet any athlete on Instagram,” said the MD-PhD candidate. “You gotta be bold. I’m just that type of girl. I’m brave and really straightforward. I saw him, wanted him, went for it and got him. Josh always says my bold approach was really attractive.”
She recently alley-ooped similar advice to her more than 71,000 online followers with a cutesy tutorial titled “How to Become a WAG.” The post drew heaps of praise from single women hailing Benville as a “queen” for her heroic how-to.
The enthusiastic response suggests Benville has tapped into a fantasy for women fed up with today’s dating scene: landing a pro jock.
In today’s dismal dating world, becoming a WAG has emerged as a coveted status symbol, promising single women the prospect of romance, financial security and a luxe lifestyle.
Taylor Swift put the “W” in her WAG status this summer, becoming the wife of Kansas City Chiefs baller Travis Kelce. Getty Images
From Taylor Swift and Jordyn Woods to Olivia Culpo and Grammy winner Ciara, these VIP voluptuaries embody the fantasy of scoring big in love and gaining entry into an elite world of wealth, luxury and A-list access.
And while love may be priceless, a multimillion-dollar salary certainly doesn’t hurt. Pro athletes in the US can command eight-figure salaries each season, with the likes of Stephen Curry, husband of skincare influencer Ayesha, making over $62 million a year, and Karl-Anthony Towns, newlywed to Woods, more than $57 million, according to ESPN.
Ballers playing overseas, notably in Europe and Asia, can earn multimillion-dollar contracts, too.
WAG Ciara and her football MVP hubby Russell Wilson recently announced the impending arrival of their fifth child. ciara/Instagram
The aspiring doctor’s how-to tips coincide with the 2026-2027 NBA season tip-off last week, during which the Knicks suffered a 106 to 100 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, led by LeBron James. The rival cities are set for another head-to-head this Friday.
In Benville’s case, a bold social media move sparked a romance that would span continents — and lead to a closet full of Chanel necklaces, Chloe bags and Jimmy Choo shoes. (“He knows my wishlist at all times and has no problem treating me to nice things,” she said)
Woods and Towns swapped I Do’s in August, following the NBA champ’s historic win. Jordyn Woods/ Instagram
The 29-year-old’s flirty DM sparked an exchange of numbers, endless texts and WhatsApp video calls before she proposed he take her on a holiday getaway for their first date in 2020.
The pair finally met at a Charleston, South Carolina, airport, laying the foundation for their love story — one that ultimately scored Benville a “large and in charge” elongated oval rock from famed private jeweler Calista West this past summer — the twosome plan to tie the knot in summer 2028.
Benville says Sharma invests and saves his money wisely, but still lavishes her with dazzling gifts and trips. Alison Su Photography
Though their demanding schedules make it tough to connect in person and virtually, Benville told The Post that Sharma makes up for lost time with lavish gifts.
“My fiancé has been blessed financially, and he’s very generous with me,” Benville gushed, insisting that neither she nor her WAG friends are with athletes for their money or prestige — though those perks certainly don’t hurt.
“A lot of people think WAGs are bimbos who just want to be with athletes for the lifestyle. But that couldn’t be further from the truth,” said the scholar, a friend to fellow working WAGs in science, sports management, nursing, journalism and entrepreneurship.
Sharma popped the question to Benville after six years of long-distance dating. Samantha M Photo
Benville even plans to become her family’s sole breadwinner once Sharma retires, allowing him to live out his dream of being a stay-at-home husband — cooking, cleaning and caring for their future kiddos, after years of bringing home the bacon.
The soon-to-be bride has her post-retirement game plan down pat. But when it comes to landing a baller, other aspiring WAGs are running plays of their own, detailing their lavish lifestyles and offering similar advice on how they met their pro-athlete partners across Instagram and TikTok.
Some bagged their guys by scouting training facilities at NCAA Division 1 schools, zeroing in on collegiate-level champs before they entered the pro draft.
Others elbowed their way into private membership clubs, such as New York’s Zero Bond and Casa Cipriani, or elite eateries like Royal 35 Steakhouse, Pergola and Catch, fetching their fellas over cocktails and prime cuts.
The working WAG got a custom diamond engagement ring designed by famed private jeweler, Calista West. Samantha M Photo
But whether the courtship begins in person or online, the ostensibly glamorous life of a WAG isn’t all riches and rosé.
It’s an unpredictable life that can easily be fouled up by any number of pitfalls, including cheating scandals, bankrupting love scams and devastating team cuts.
Then, of course, there’s the constant threat of being deemed a gold digger — opportunists on the prowl for loot rather than love.
The aspiring doctor tells The Post that WAGs often get a bum rap for being romantically linked to famous men with money, but says she and her gal pals quashing the misconception. Courtesy Julia Benville
But Paige Osorio, a relationship coach and matchmaker for over a decade, who specializes in helping everyday women win the hearts of high-value, high-income men, told The Post that wanting a guy with gold isn’t necessarily a character flaw.
“Having financial standards in dating does not make a woman a gold digger,” she insisted. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting financial stability in a relationship.”
The expert says lassoing a moneyed dude is a cinch — as long as you don’t overthink it.
“You don’t need a special pickup line for a wealthy man. Coming with some cheesy, disingenuous approach is usually a turnoff,” said Osorio, who landed her affluent hubby, a dentist making over five figures per month, via Instagram DMs.
Although Osorio isn’t a WAG, the relationship pro says getting any wealthy man’s attention is as easy as sparking up a meaningful conversation. Alexa DilaVega (@alexadilavega/Instagram)
For folks who prefer making IRL introductions, Osorio suggests meeting tycoons at charity galas, college alumni events, upscale hotel bars, airport lounges and private soirées.
Regardless of the setting, the love pro says authenticity is key.
“These guys have women throwing themselves at them all the time, fawning over their money or celebrity status,” she urged. “So it’s best to set yourself apart by noticing something that’s unique to them.”
Osorio’s helped women meet and marry high-earning men for over a decade. Courtesy Paige Osorio
But Osorio warns WAGs hopefuls, “Money doesn’t automatically make a man a good husband.”
“Finances are important,” she continued. “But being morally, emotionally and spiritually aligned are essential, too.”
Calli Joy Novak, a newly engaged WAG who also met her athlete fiancé Joshua O’Garro, 25, via Instagram DMs, agrees.
The 29-year-old brand marketing specialist, based in lower Manhattan, told The Post O’Garro’s position as a guard for the London Lions in the UK is only one — albeit the most lucrative — aspect of their relationship.
While Novak concedes that the WAG lifestyle comes with tons of posh perks, women who love athletes must also make a number of major sacrifices for the relationship. Courtesy Calli Joy Novak
“We have so much in common, from our faith to our family values and love of sports,” said Novak, whose father is a former Jacksonville Jaguars footballer.
“We’re both super driven for success, and we’re both earning a living. I have a great job in corporate America, I make my own money,” she continued. “My dad taught me to always consider myself the prize in relationships, no matter how much money or celebrity a man brings to the table.”
Sadly, Novak’s high self-worth hasn’t gone over well online. Virtual trolls viciously slammed the New Yorker in a recent vid for cheekily declaring herself an “upgrade” from O’Garro’s past flings — and joking that she’s only with him for his impressive income.
Her ill-received post unleashed a torrent of vitriol, with detractors branding her a money-grubber and cursing their upcoming marriage to fail.
Novak says the hits from WAG-hating social media savages have neither dimmed her light nor diminished her love for O’Garro. Avigail Ramirez
But Novak said scathing shade doesn’t overshadow her commitment to being an amazing wife to O’Garro and a game-changing WAG in the cruel, hypercritical world.
“The term ‘gold digger’ doesn’t resonate with me, and I hope to help change that narrative,” said Novak. “Our relationship is based on love, not money.”
“Women with athletes are still able to live in their purposes, start businesses and families, and follow their own dreams,” she asserted. “Being a WAG is great, but there is more to this life than just marrying rich.”
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