Carmelo Anthony clearly decided that a regular birthday party was not going to cut it.
The NBA Hall of Famer went all out for his new girlfriend, Racquel Smith, who celebrated her birthday with a massive all-red bash. And yes, Melo was right there beside her. Apparently, when your girlfriend’s birthday arrives, “Happy Birthday” is not enough. You need a whole production.
Rockie looked ready for the spotlight as she celebrated surrounded by family and friends. The party had a serious red theme, and everyone appeared to understand the assignment. No random colors, no accidental fashion crimes. Just red everywhere.
Melo and Rockie have been making their relationship increasingly public in recent months. The couple officially hard launched their romance on Instagram back in June during a baecation. Since then, they have seemingly been enjoying life together.
She is best known as the widow of former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith, who was fatally shot in 2016 during a road rage incident. Racquel was also injured in the shooting. She has three children with Will: Will Jr., Lisa Mya, and Wynter.
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And judging by this birthday celebration, things are still going strong.
Rockie’s sons were also present for the big celebration. She shares her children with her late husband, former NFL player Will Smith. Their presence added an important family touch to what was already a major celebration.
Melo did not exactly hide his role as the supportive boyfriend, either.
The former NBA superstar has plenty of experience being around big events. After all, this is a man who spent years playing in packed arenas with thousands of people watching. So throwing a birthday party with a room full of cameras probably felt like another Tuesday.
Still, this was Racquel’s night.
The all-red theme gave the celebration a glamorous feel, while the family gathering made it more personal. It was less “quiet dinner and cake” and more “let’s make sure everybody remembers this birthday.”
And honestly, why not? Birthdays only happen once a year. If you are going to celebrate, you might as well make people wonder whether they accidentally walked onto a movie set.
For Melo and Rockie, the party also offered another glimpse at their relationship. Their romance may have started with an Instagram hard launch, but they are clearly not acting like a couple trying to stay under the radar.
At this point, Melo is not just the boyfriend, he is apparently the birthday-event planner, hype man and VIP guest all rolled into one.
And Racquel? She got the red carpet treatment without even needing an NBA arena.
