Ben Simmons appears to have moved on from his ex-fiancée Maya Jama.
The Australian basketball star, who got engaged to the Love Island host in December 2021, was spotted on a “date night” with Hollywood actress Eiza Gonzalez in New York on Friday night.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: “The pair have been quietly getting to know each other for a while now and it feels like romance is on the cards.”
It comes after Ben demanded Maya return the £800k engagement ring he gave her, following their split at the end of last year.
Maya received a legal letter from the Brooklyn Nets star last month, demanding she return the diamond ring he proposed to her with immediately.
In response to the report, a spokesperson for the TV presenter told The Sun: “Maya received a request from Ben’s representatives on Friday afternoon, asking her to return the engagement ring that he gave her as a gift last year.”
“This was the first time that she has been asked by Ben to return it and, for the avoidance of any doubt, she has never refused to return it.”
“Maya is making arrangements to return the ring to Ben and wishes him all the best.”
Meanwhile, a ‘friend’ of Simmons said: “Ben was really shocked when she left and didn’t give him the ring back.”
“He was madly in love with her and thought it was forever so was really p***ed she didn’t give it back. It cost around $1million and they were engaged less than a year.”
Maya and Ben started dating in May 2021, just seven months before he popped the question over Christmas.
However, the Love Island host confirmed their break up last month by admitting she’s “really, really single”.
At the time, a source told The Sun on Sunday: “Maya called it off after things came to a head last month. It’s heartbreaking for both of them, especially as they were so committed to each other.”
“They’re both young and want to focus on their careers. Maya has a bright future ahead of her with job offers coming in from all over and is feeling positive.”
“It’s been a difficult time for them. While they both care for each other so much, they truly gave it their all and realise that they just come from two different worlds.”
“They now understand they don’t have the time they thought to dedicate to this relationship.”
“After many long nights and hours of heartfelt talks, they realised as much as they love each other, their non-stop careers and endless travel have made it incredibly impossible to make it work,” the insider added.
Since the news of their split hit headlines, Maya has been linked to her ex-boyfriend Stormzy – who she previously dated for four years.
