The former defensive end who played nine seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys, Marcus Spears, has been married to the retired WNBA player Aiysha Smith. The couple has three children together, all of whom are following in their parents’ footsteps in sports.
Who Is Marcus Spears’ Wife, Aiysha Smith?
ESPN’s leading voice, Marcus Spears’ wife, Aiysha Kenya Smith, was born on July 18, 1980. She attended Bishop Borgess High School in Detroit, Michigan. After graduating from high school, she went to St. John’s, later switching to Tyler JC and finally landing at LSU. Aiysha was drafted in the first round, 7th overall pick in the 2003 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics, where she played two seasons, playing in sixty games and starting five.
How Did Marcus Spears Meet His Wife Aiysha?
Aiysha transferred to LSU in 2001 from Tyler JC, where she met her future husband. She played basketball, and Marcus played on the football team.
Marcus recounted in an interview the exact moment he started developing feelings for Aiysha. One evening, when all the athletes had headed out, Marcus recalled, “When literally like a movie, When I walked out, I saw her. She had a skirt on. She had a shirt with a tiger on the front of it and some boots, and I was like Oh, I got to have her.”
Aiysha, on the other hand, says they became friends first, which eventually blossomed into love. It’s almost 20 years later, and they are still together and share three beautiful kids. Marcus Spears Jr., Miko Spears, and Macaria “Cari” Spears.
Their two daughters play volleyball, and son follows in his mom’s footsteps as a basketball player. Last year, their daughter Cari became the number one volleyball player in the country, and son Marcus Jr. is the number three basketball player in the 2027 class. Cari is representing USA Volleyball on the U19 Team, while Marcus Jr. is representing USA Basketball. The youngest one, Miko, is 12 years old and making her mark on the volleyball court.
With their kids growing up, it won’t be long before the house becomes quieter. But the Spears seem to have a plan for that.
“I think we’re going to buy ourselves a Winnebago and we’re going to travel and watch the kids,” Marcus says.
