As Wally Szczerbiak’s incisive March Madness analysis has fans sticking to CBS broadcasts, his personal life spins a better yarn — college sweethearts, a 20-year marriage, and an unexpected new spin with a fellow sportscaster. The former All-Star’s journey from Miami University romance to father of six (with two different partners) gives us a view of the athlete that rarely gets captured on camera.

It was an accidental meeting in his freshman year that would shape the next two decades of Szczerbiak’s life. Their romance turned into a campus legend, although not many people know in full the story of Shannon Ward, the woman who supported Szczerbiak through his rise as an NBA star.

Who Is Wally Szczerbiak’s Ex-Wife Shannon? How Long Were They Married?

Wally Szczerbiak wed his college sweetheart, Shannon Ward, in 2000. The couple met while at freshman orientation at Miami University in Ohio, where Szczerbiak was a star basketball player. Their relationship followed the prototypical “Miami Merger” pattern — a term used to refer to students who meet and marry at the university. But it wasn’t meant to last forever.

The couple speculatively filed for divorce in 2020, ending 20 years of marriage. Page Six reported, “They split before or around [the COVID-19 pandemic],” as per sources. While the details of their split are private, Szczerbiak’s marriage was one of the more significant aspects of his life around the NBA and his early broadcasting. More about Shannon Ward, however, remains undisclosed.

Do Wally Szczerbiak and Shannon Ward Have Kids Together?

Indeed. Szczerbiak and Shannon have five children: three daughters (Annabella, Amberly, and Savanna) and two sons (Maximus and Xavier). Their eldest daughter, Amberly, Amberly was a varsity football and basketball cheerleader, varsity track member, and participated on the golf team. She followed her parents’ footsteps to enroll at Miami University.

For Szczerbiak, whose post-NBA career has been spent as husband and father, family came first. As recently as 2018, he was reported to have been seen coaching his youngest son’s basketball team on Long Island, juggling fatherhood and broadcasting.

Is Wally Szczerbiak Dating MSG Reporter Rebecca Haarlow?

Following his 2020 divorce, Szczerbiak was reported to be dating his MSG co-worker Rebecca Haarlow, as confirmed by insiders. The latter would then announce her pregnancy, writing, “Over here introducing Baby Boy to that corner three before he’s off the bench in 2022.”  Sources described the two’s relationship as the “worst-kept secret” at Madison Square Garden, where they both work as sportscasters.

While neither seems to have commented on the same, Wally Wall’s Instagram is filled with posts dedicated to this blended family. Trips, dinners, or Knicks games, they seem to enjoy plenty time together. Haarlow, their son, Szczerbiak and Shannon’s kids, and the former NBA star himself were all photographed together as recently as February 2025 for the Miami University alumni weekend.

A big happy family for Szczerbiak by the looks of it.