“Just Another Person”- Ben Shelton’s Girlfriend Trinity Rodman Shares the Reality of a Relationship That Everyone Watches
Handling Pressure and Public Scrutiny
What does pressure feel like? Imagine being the daughter of an NBA legend while forging your own identity in a different sport. NWSL star Trinity Rodman has often spoken about the challenges of growing up in the shadow of her father, Dennis Rodman. “Everything has always revolved around him,” she once admitted. Despite the pressure, she burst onto the scene in 2021 with a remarkable rookie season for the Washington Spirit, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists. Since then, she has continued to grow—both on and off the field.
Her recent relationship with American ATP star Ben Shelton has also thrust her further into the spotlight. Like Rodman, Shelton hails from a sports family. His father, Bryan Shelton, is a former pro tennis player and coach. Ben has spoken about the challenges of living up to his father’s expectations, noting that being the coach’s son meant working even harder to prove himself.
A Relationship in the Spotlight
Ever since Shelton confirmed his relationship with Rodman, the internet has been buzzing. It all started with a TikTok video featuring Jorijana and GloRilla’s ‘ILLBB2’ in the background, where Shelton hinted at something with the caption, “T**** wsp with u.” Rodman responded with a similar post, and the rumors took off. A few days later, Shelton shared an Instagram post showing Rodman kissing him on the cheek with the caption: “I been focused, but I’m steady climbin’, I’m nowhere near my peak.”
But how does Rodman feel about the attention? In a recent interview with ESPN, she shared, “I mean, I am just another person in a relationship that people know about. Obviously, I’m very happy, and hopefully, some of the world is happy too. But yeah, it’s in the public eye, and I can’t really do much about it.”
Reactions from the Sports World
Rodman embraced Shelton’s public declaration of their relationship, even joking, “Me seeing the Ben Shelton hard launch… then realizing I’m the girl.” She later shared a selfie captioned “Dibs 🤭,” to which Shelton responded, “Whoever that is, he won fs [for sure].” Even tennis star Sloane Stephens chimed in, saying, “Here for it!”
As these two young athletes continue to rise in their respective sports, fans eagerly watch what’s next for this power couple.
Trinity Rodman’s USWNT Call-Up
Rodman has more to celebrate than just her relationship—she has been called up to the USWNT for their upcoming friendlies against Brazil in April. The young soccer star was named the US Young Female Player of the Year in 2021 and continues to shine on the field.
As for Shelton, he had a strong start to the 2025 season, reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open and making history as the youngest American man to reach the quarterfinals at Indian Wells since Andy Roddick in 2002. However, his Miami Open run ended early with a first-round loss to Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong. Now, he looks ahead to bouncing back in his next tournament.
How Did They Meet?
Shelton’s close friend and fellow tennis star Frances Tiafoe previously claimed credit for introducing the couple, telling Overtime Tennis, “I was the one who connected them—if we’re being real.” However, Rodman later clarified, “I don’t know if I want everyone to know the story, but I can assure you Francis was not the reason that we met or got together. I don’t know why he’s taking credit for that.”
Regardless of how they met, one thing is clear—fans are loving every moment of their journey.
What’s Your Perspective?
Can Trinity Rodman and Ben Shelton handle the pressure of their famous last names and public romance? Share your thoughts.
