All About Pepe from Love Island USA: His Pro Basketball Career & More Details
The Love Island USA bombshell is a "retired pro hooper" and proud "dog dad."
When Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez first entered the villa in a strappy leather outfit with a whip in his hands, the bombshell instantly started stealing hearts on this summer's season of Love Island USA.
Throughout his time in Fiji, Pepe has formed friendships and romantic connections with Love Island USA's Season 7 Islanders. He's also been serving up lots of sweet and silly moments, whether he's shooting some hoops on the basketball court with the guys or pulling a fellow bombshell for a chat.
Read on to learn all about Pepe from Love Island USA Season 7, below.
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Who is Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez from Love Island USA Season 7?
Pepe, 27, entered the villa as a bombshell in Episode 9. "I was born in Madrid, Spain. I moved to L.A. when I was 3 years old," he said in his intro. "I'm looking for a wife. When I get into the villa, I'm gonna bring some maturity, some passion, and a little bit of Latin love."
On Instagram (@pepe.garcia15), Pepe's bio reads that he's a "retired pro hooper." He briefly talked about his basketball career and what he's up to now with the Islanders following his bombshell debut. “I just retired. I played six years of pro basketball," Pepe revealed in Episode 10. "Just retired from that. Opened up a gym and an after-school program."
Pepe has also posted on TikTok that he's a "dog dad" to an adorable pup who he calls his "best friend" and joins him at the gym.
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Pepe from Love Island USA played professional basketball
Pepe played basketball professionally in multiple countries before he retired from the sport and opened a gym in L.A. After two seasons (2017 to 2019) on the basketball team at California State University, Fullerton, Pepe went abroad.
From 2019 to 2023, Pepe played on teams in Spain and Mexico. In 2019, he posted a photo of himself wearing a Spanish basketball league jersey. In the following years, Pepe shared photos of himself repping a jersey for México's Fuerza Regia professional basketball team based in Monterrey. He then joined the Toros Torreón basketball team in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Pepe most recently played for the CD Enrique Soler in Melilla, Spain. "Glad to have met the guys on this team and everyone involved in the organization," he wrote in an Instagram post in 2023, featuring photos of him on the court.
Pepe's basketball skills were put to the test on Love Island USA when the guys left the villa to play a quick game in Episode 32. And Pepe isn't the only Islander with professional sports experience; Chris Seeley, who made his debut at Casa Amor, has also played on international basketball teams for years.
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Who has Pepe from Love Island USA been coupled up with?
Since he arrived in Fiji, Pepe has explored a few connections in the villa. Pepe was first coupled up with Hannah Fields after America voted for them to couple up in Episode 12. The two remained together until Hannah was dumped from the villa in Episode 18.
Pepe then coupled up with bombshell Gracyn Blackmore during Casa Amor week, but admitted during the "Stand on Business" mailbox challenge in Episode 26 that Hannah's exit was hard on him. "The first couple days of Casa, I was trying my best to open up and explore Gracyn. But, yeah, when you get something snatched from under your feet like that, that you felt great about, it doesn't feel good," he told the Islanders.
After Gracyn was dumped from the island, Pepe coupled up with Iris Kendall, who entered the villa with him also as a bombshell. In Episode 30, Iris explained to Ariana Madix that she wanted to couple up with Pepe because he made her feel "very comfortable" and enjoys that she can be herself around him.
Pepe and Iris "passed" the baby challenge with twins on Love Island USA
In Episode 31, the Islanders woke up to crying "babies" who they had to parent for the day. Pepe and Iris were responsible for twins who they cleverly named "Lois" and "Peter," inspired by the Griffins from Family Guy.
"They're family names, and we just wanted to keep the tradition," Iris said in a confessional, while Pepe added with a smirk, "I'm a big family guy, ya know?"
After successfully cooking breakfast with their babies placed on top of the kitchen counter and completing a stroller relay race without making the dolls cry, Love Island's narrator Iain Stirling revealed that Iris and Pepe were one of the couples who passed the baby test.
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How to watch Love Island USA Season 7
Keep up with Pepe, his connections, and all of the drama going down inside the villa when new episodes of Love Island USA Season 7 air every day, except on Wednesdays, at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET only on Peacock. And be sure to tune in for the Love Island USA Season 7 finale on Sunday, July 13.
