Former “Basketball Wives” star Draya Michele sparked a debate on social media after rumors surfaced that she’s dating 21-year-old basketball star Jalen Green. The 39-year-old’s son Kniko Howard is about the same age as Green and attends Georgia State University.
Michele and Green reportedly began dating last year, and the news sparked a debate about grooming and comparisons to older men who date younger women.
Michele’s oldest son Kniko is the same age as Green, and many fans are calling her behavior predatory while others say she’s done nothing wrong as the two are both consenting adults. Some fans wondered why the couple’s age difference is even an issue because so many famous men have much younger girlfriends and wives.
Jay-Z is 11 years older than his wife Beyoncé. “Indiana Jones” actor Harrison Ford, 81, is 22 years older than his wife, former “Ally McBeal” actress Calista Flockhart, and Alec Baldwin is 26 years older than his wife, Hilaria.
“I can’t lie i don’t see what a 39 year old woman and mom (Draya Michele) and a 21 year old single man (Jalen Green) have in common,” replied one user. “Draya Michele’s a predator & her son is supposedly the same age as JG. S—ts crazy,” added one.
Other X users thought there was nothing wrong with the couple dating. “A famous dude that’s 50 could marry a 17 year old women right now and no one would bring it up. She with him cause she’s grown and they like each other,” wrote one.
“I see why people are concerned about Draya Michele and Jalen Green. However, perhaps Draya just wanted a man with less bodies,” added another.
According to Men’s Journal, 63 percent of men on the dating app Bumble are open to dating women when there’s an age gap while 59 percent of women say would date a younger man.
Fans of Beyoncé and Jay-Z have often speculated that the “Song Cry” artist groomed his wife including recently after a resurfaced clip of her saying Jay-Z taught her “how to be a woman” resurfaced on social media. Beyoncé was 19 and Jay-Z was 31 when they met but it was what she said in the 2006 clip that drew many to grooming conclusions.
“You’ve taught me so many things. I was 20 years old when we first started dating. You taught me how to be a woman, you taught me how to live. You taught me how to be a friend,” she said amongst a crowd of their friends. “You’ve given me so much in life … and … this is, it’s not enough. It’s not enough I can give you.”
The Game, 44, also made headlines recently after he stepped out with Shaniece Hairston, the 30-year-old daughter of “Basketball Wives” star Evelyn Lozada.
Michele is 18 years older than Green, and she has two sons, Kniko and 7-year-old Jru Scandrick. Michele welcomed Kniko with an ex-boyfriend when she was just 17, and she had Jru with former NFL star Orlando Scandrick in 2016. Michele is three years older than Scandrick.
