By: PEOPLE, Skyler Caruso
July 6, 2026
The couple, whose love story began as college students at Auburn University, got engaged on the Fourth of July 2026
Walker Kessler and Abbie Stockard have reached a new chapter in their love story.
The Los Angeles Lakers center, 24, announced his engagement to his Miss America 2025 girlfriend, 23, in a sweet social media post paired with a heartfelt picture of the happy couple and a loved-up caption shared on Sunday, July 5.
“I give thanks to God I get to spend the rest of my life with you, Abbie. Here’s to the future together. I love you so much ❤️,” Kessler wrote on Instagram.
The photo featured the NBA player cozied up next to Stockard in their kitchen, each wearing hats that had “fiancé” and “fiancée” stitched on them. Stockard held up her left ring finger to flash her sparkler to the camera.
The former pageant title holder also shared the news of their engagement on Instagram with her own tribute, and revealed the basketball star popped the question on the Fourth of July.
“The greatest surprise!! We’re getting married!!🤍💍,” she began in her caption alongside a slideshow of images from their special day. “I get to marry Walker Kessler — my best friend! Our story is truly one that only the Lord could have written.”
“So many things I once thought were coincidences were really His perfect plan unfolding, and our story is greater than anything I could have imagined,” she continued. “There’s no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with, doing life together and cheering each other on!”
“I’m so excited for all the big things God has in store for us and the adventure ahead, wherever He might lead us,” Stockard concluded, adding, “Best Fourth of July EVER ☺️☺️.”
Kessler and Stockard’s love story began in college when they both attended Auburn University. In fact, Kessler’s mom played a major role in matching them together, a sweet timeline he hilariously recounted in a press conference.
“My rookie year, my mom and dad got invited to an Alabama-Auburn basketball game. You know how moms are, so she takes a picture of this random girl who’s a dancer on the court,” he began, noting that he didn’t know who the person was when his mother asked.
Three weeks later, Kessler said his mom sent him the girl’s name after she found it. The basketball player then looked the Auburn dancer’s name up on Instagram and “the rest is history,” he said, blushing in the presser.
Kessler went viral in January 2025 for his adorable reaction to Stockard’s Miss America win. He congratulated his girlfriend in a post on Instagram and shared a video of himself and the team’s head coach, Will Hardy, watching the big moment on his phone.
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As soon as Stockard was named the winner, Kessler dropped his phone and stood up from his seat in excitement. Hardy said, “She won! Let’s go!” and Kessler looked to be in disbelief with his hand over his mouth before embracing his head coach with a hug.
The engagement news adds to what’s been a wild few days for Kessler, with ESPN reporting on Wednesday, July 1, that the Lakers were acquiring him from the Utah Jazz. The report added Kessler will sign a four-year, $130 million contract with Los Angeles.
Read the article HERE: https://people.com/new-lakers-center-walker-kessler-gets-engaged-to-miss-america-2025-abbie-stockard-12012432