Kelly Kapowski and Zack Morris were the it couple of early '90s teen television. When Saved By The Bell ended and Boy Meets World took over the television, Cory and Topanaga took their crown. For a handful of high school years (and one trip to college) though, teens were riveted by the will-they-won't-they romance of Kelly and Zack.
While Kelly and Zack were fun to watch, the truth is that they might have been better suited to other characters in the series. Kelly could have found love with someone else instead of deciding to take a road trip to Las Vegas in a made-for-tv movie to marry Zack while they were still college students. The question is just who might have been a better match for her?
Slater
Before Slater ended up with Jessie and Zack ended up with Kelly, both boys were actually interested in dating the same people, including Kelly herself.
Although Slater could be very self-centered in the original series, the sequel series demonstrates how much he grew up. Part of what helped him grow up with the relationships he made with his classmates at Bayside - including Kelly. They got along very well, and he even had a similar sense of humor to Zack's, which she clearly enjoyed. He was also more likely to actually lend a helping hand when she needed it rather than scheme to get out of some hard work. Kelly and Slater could have grown together if they had pursued a relationship.
Stacey
For a short arc in the series, the friends at the center of Saved By The Bell all got jobs at the Malibu Sands resort. There, Leah Remini guest-starred in a memorable role as the daughter of the boss who frequently put Zack in his place (before he dated her).
Although neither Kelly nor Stacey showed an interest in dating each other, that doesn't mean they wouldn't have been a great fit. Stacey's firm about the things she wants and doesn't allow anyone to get in her way. Kelly could have learned how to stand up for herself from Stacey. Likewise, Kelly always made an effort to be welcoming and friendly to new faces, which could have helped Stacey learn to be open to new experiences.
Scott Wolf's Background Player
Scott Wolf is playing Carson Drew on the CW's Nancy Drew these days, but in the early '90s, he did quite a bit of work as a day player on Saved By The Bell. He can be spotted as a Bayside High student in nine episodes, though he's never named. From what the audience sees of him though, he and Kelly might have a lot in common.
Wolf's character is in the glee club with Kelly and her friends, enjoying singing and performing just as much as she does. He also works as a waiter at The Max. That happens to be where Kelly got her first job when trying to alleviate financial strain on her recently unemployed dad. The two would have had plenty to talk about, and it's a shame the audience never got to know him.
Jessie
Much of the grief in Jessie and Kelly's lives is a result of the schemes that Zack, and later Slater, rope them into. The two girls could have avoided a lot of that if they weren't so interested in sticking by the sides of their boyfriends. But what would it have been like if they dated each other?
Jessie and Kelly actually get along much better than they get along with either of the boys. Although Jessie might be a better student than Kelly in Saved By The Bell, Kelly is still interested in learning and doing well, just like Jessie. They understand one another's drive and goals and support one another. They would have had a great foundation for a romantic relationship.
Screech
There was a trend in '80s movies of "the nerd" ending up with the prettiest and most popular girl in school. Saved By The Bell didn't follow that trend, though it did have Screech pursue Lisa Turtle for the entirety of the series. Screech never pursued Kelly, likely because, despite the way he was often treated by Zack and Slater, he was a loyal friend who wouldn't go after one of the girls they liked.
Kelly was the only person in the friend group who consistently treated Screech as an equal. Everyone else looked down on him. He's often the butt of jokes from Zack, Slater, and Jessie. He's the subject of ridicule from Lisa. Kelly, however, always had time and a kind word for them. That's not necessarily the foundation for a relationship, but it does demonstrate that Kelly could have warmed to the idea of them spending one-on-one time together as they got older.
Lisa
Despite Lisa constantly being the center of Screech's attention, she doesn't have nearly as many love interests in the series as her friends. It's not a stretch to think she and Kelly could have ended up together since Lisa's love interests always tend to be connected to her friends - like Jessie's stepbrother or Zack himself.
While Jessie and Kelly have academics and ambition in common, Lisa and Kelly share a lot of other interests. From singing to fashion to relaxing at the beach, the two relax and have fun in a lot of the same ways. While Lisa can be more shallow than her friends, Kelly tends to bring out her nicer side, just as she does with Zack. The two could have ended up as the most fashionable and sweetest couple to come out of Bayside High.
Slater And Jessie
Though Slater and Jessie were one of the two on-again-off-again couples of Saved By The Bell, the two spent just as much time fighting with one another as they did flirting with one another. Having a third person in the relationship - one who brought out some of the best in both of them, might have worked in their favor.
Kelly is that person. Their shared history, interest in dance, and common friends would allow the trio a sturdy foundation for a relationship. Jessie, from a small affluent family, Kelly, from a large working-class family, and Slater, who moved around a lot growing up, would also all be different enough from one another that they could learn and grow from one another's experiences.
Herself
Not many people meet the person they're going to spend their life within high school, though teen television would certainly have their audience think otherwise. Kelly didn't have to end up in a relationship with anyone when the show - or the college year - was over.
Kelly had her whole life ahead of her to decide if she even wanted to be in another relationship after the string of bad ones she experienced as a teen and a young adult. Kelly could have ended the series focusing on herself and her academic future instead of who she was dating.