The new season of Love Island USA is almost here, and one contestant is already turning heads before even stepping into the villa. Aniya Harvey, the 23-year-old daughter of retired NBA player Donnell Harvey, was announced as part of the Season 8 cast on May 28. The show premieres on Peacock this Tuesday, June 2. Here are five things to know about the new Islander everyone is talking about.
Aniya Comes From an NBA Family
Aniya’s father, Donnell Harvey, played four seasons in the NBA after being drafted in 2000 by the Dallas Mavericks. He also played for the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and New Jersey Nets before leaving the league in 2014. Growing up around professional sports gave Aniya a unique childhood. Her father’s basketball career meant she saw the inside of big-time athletics from a young age. But Aniya chose a different court for herself.
She Played College Volleyball at Florida Atlantic University
Instead of basketball, Aniya picked up volleyball. She played for the Florida Atlantic Owls for three seasons as a middle blocker and right side hitter. She attended Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in business marketing. Her sister, Asia Harvey, also plays volleyball at the University of Missouri. Sports clearly run deep in the Harvey household.
Aniya Worked in Marketing Before Love Island
Before packing her bags for the villa, Aniya built a professional career. She completed an internship as an Athletic Marketer at Florida Atlantic University from 2023 to 2024. She has also worked with the Reconstructing Youth Foundation since 2018, serving as the Regional Marketing Head for the Southwest region. Her LinkedIn profile shows she took her career seriously before deciding to look for love on national television.
Her Social Media Following Exploded After the Cast Announcement
Right after Peacock revealed the Season 8 cast, Aniya’s online presence blew up. She had around 20,000 followers on Instagram before the announcement. That number jumped to over 30,000 within days. Her Instagram, under the handle @aniyaharvey02, and her TikTok, @aniya.harvey, show off her vacation photos, fashion choices, and beach lifestyle. Fans are now flooding her posts with messages of support ahead of the June 2 premiere.
”She’s so gorgeous. Can’t wait to see her in the villa,” one fan commented on her latest Instagram post.
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Her Relationship Status Remains a Mystery
So does Aniya have a boyfriend? No one knows for sure. She has kept her personal life very private. There is no public information about her dating history or current relationship status. That mystery only makes her more interesting to fans who are eager to see her couple up in Fiji. The show pairs single contestants together, and viewers vote on which couples stay and which go home.
Aniya joins 11 other Islanders this season, including Beatriz Hatz, a Paralympic bronze medalist, and Zach Georgiou, whose brother Charlie appeared on Season 7. Hosted by Ariana Madix and narrated by Iain Stirling, Season 8 promises daily drama, new couples, and plenty of recouplings. New episodes drop daily at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Peacock for the first week, then every day except Wednesdays afterward. Viewers in the UK, Canada, Australia, and India can stream through Peacock’s international partners or use a VPN to access the US platform.
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