Why Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes' relationship nearly never took off

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LSU gymnastics star Olivia Dunne and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes opened up a bit on their relationship in an interview published on Wednesday.

Skenes confirmed his relationship with Dunne after the LSU baseball star turned pro, and the Pirates selected him with the No. 1 pick. Since then, Dunne has been seen supporting the rising star pitcher through his journey in the minors and into the majors. She was by his side when he received the National League Rookie of the Year award as well.

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LSU Tigers star Olivia Dunne looks on during the meet against the Georgia Bulldogs at Maravich Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on March 7, 2025. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)

However, Dunne revealed in an interview with GQ Magazine the relationship almost did not happen. She said Skenes did not follow her back on Instagram.

"He wouldn’t follow me back on Instagram," she said.

Dunne is more of a social media expert than Skenes. She has built up a following of more than 8 million followers on TikTok and over 5.3 million followers on Instagram. According to the profile, Skenes is not one for Instagram, and Dunne admitted that she even took over managing his accounts.

Skenes told GQ he rarely used Instagram at the time Dunne followed him.

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Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes, #30, poses with his girlfriend Louisiana State University gymnast Olivia Dunn after making his major league debut against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on May 11, 2024. (Charles LeClaire-USA