NATIONWIDE — WNBA star Maya Moore shocked the sports world when she announced in 2019 that she was sitting out the season to help overturn the wrongful conviction of Jonathan Irons, who spent 23 years in prison.

After all, she was in the prime of her already decorated basketball career, with four WNBA championships, six all-star nods and a league MVP award under her belt before the age of 30. 

But citing a focus on social justice, she walked away from the game, and she helped overturn Irons' conviction. He was freed from prison in July.

Wednesday, she shocked the world again – by announcing that she and Irons got married.

What You Need To Know

  • WNBA star Maya Moore announced on ABC's "Good Morning America" that she married Jonathan Irons, the man whose wrongful conviction she helped to overturn

  • Moore put her playing career on hold in 2019 to help free Irons from prison

  • The two met when she was 18 through a prison ministry program

  • Moore has won 4 WNBA titles, 2 Olympic gold medals, 2 NCAA titles and 1 WNBA league MVP award

Moore and Irons shared the news with Robin Roberts on ABC's "Good Morning America."

"We got married a couple months ago and we're excited to just continue this new chapter of life together," Moore said.

 

 

Moore told GMA that the two first met through a prison ministry program when she was 18 and their relationship blossomed from there.

"Over the last 13 years we have just developed a friendship and just entered into this huge battle to get him home and just over time it was pretty clear what the Lord was doing in our hearts and now we're sitting here today, starting a whole new chapter together," she said.

"I wanted to marry her but at the same time protect her because being in a relationship with a man in prison, it's extremely difficult and painful," Irons said, "and I didn't want her to feel trapped and I wanted her to feel open and have the ability any time if this is too much for you, go and find somebody. Live your life. Because this is hard."

Irons was convicted of breaking into a home in Missouri and shooting a homeowner; in 1998, he was sentenced to 50 years in prison in 1998. Irons maintained his innocence 

In March, a judge ruled that prosecutors suppressed evidence in the burglary and assault case against Irons, clearing the way for his release from prison in July.

 

Moore told GMA that she isn't sure when she will return to basketball. 

"I am trying to really just breathe from this long, long battle," she said. "There's a lot of unknowns for a lot of us right now. So I'm still in that camp."

The newly married couple's current aim is spreading the word about local elections through Win With Justice's "Get Out the Vote" campaign, according to GMA.