Exclusive! Chandler Parsons Praises ‘Sweetheart’ Travis Kelce amid Taylor Swift Romance: His ‘Love Life Is Strong…

Chandler Parsons is singing his pal Travis Kelce’s praises.
The 35-year-old former basketball player (and close friend of the Chiefs tight end) talked up Kelce, 34, to PEOPLE as he practiced for the 35th Annual American Century Championship presented by American Century Investments.

“He’s a sweetheart all right,” Parsons says of Kelce, adding that the NFL star is “happy” amid his relationship with Taylor Swift.

“She’s great,” Parsons adds of Swift, 34.

‘And so I’m just happy that he’s in a great place and he’s dominating on the field and he’s looking to go back to back to back,” says Parsons, referring to Kelce and the Chiefs’ consecutive Super Bowl wins and hopes to repeat this upcoming season.

“So I’m glad his personal and love life is strong,” Parsons adds of Kelce’s success on and off the field.

The Annual American Century Championship takes place in Lake Tahoe, Calif., and includes major star power, in addition to Parsons and Kelce. Kelce’s brother Jason Kelce is participating, along with MLB great Alex Rodriguez, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, plus celebrities like comedian Rob Riggle and Rob McElhenney from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.

Parsons is looking forward to hitting the course with Kelce, he told PEOPLE. “We’ll have some fun. We didn’t get paired up [Friday], but maybe we’ll play together Saturday and I’ll beat his ass.”
In March, Kelce spent time with Parsons and his son, 10-month-old Chrome Evan Parsons. An adorable photo of the NFL tight end and Chrome made the rounds on social media after Kelce signed the boy’s cranial helmet, but Parsons tells PEOPLE that the autograph faded off.

“You know what’s funny, is that we played golf that day and my son, he had to wear the helmet for a month. And we had a few cocktails and we went back to the house and had him sign the helmet and the next day my son woke up and it was gone.”

“The Sharpie smeared off,” Parsons explains. “So we might have to run that back.”

The 35th Annual American Century Championship presented by American Century Investments began Friday, July 12 and concludes on Sunday, July 14.