Despite being college sweethearts, Damian Lillard and his then-wife, Kay’la Hanson, parted ways after only two years of marriage.
Born July 15, 1990, Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. is an American professional basketball point guard.
He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Nicknamed “Dame Time,” Lillard won a gold medal for the U.S. Olympic team in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
His professional career began after the Portland Trail Blazers selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.
However, following a trade request, he switched to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The eight-time NBA All-Star is the first NBA player ever to participate in 5 events in All-Star Weekend. (2014: Rising Stars Challenge: Dunk Contest, 3-point Contest, Skills Challenge winner, All-Star Game)
According To The Divorce Documents, Damian Lillard And His Ex-Wife, Kay’la Hanson, Divorced Due To “Irreconcilable Differences”!
NBA point guard Damian Lillard met Kay’la Hanson at Weber State University in Utah.
They met serendipitously through Kay’la’s best friend, Eternity Simon Buhl.
In 2018, the couple became parents to Damian Jr., their first child. Then, 2 years later, they revealed they were expecting twins Kalii Laheem and Kali Emma Lee.
Their college romance eventually blossomed into marriage after 10 years of dating in 2021.
Lillard opened up in an interview with Ebony that he proposed to Hanson at the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend.
“I popped the question in Chicago 2020 during the NBA All-Star weekend. I snuck all of my family and her family out to Chicago without her knowing. I told her we were attending a new Valentine’s Day event the NBA was hosting. We showed up to the venue where I had a wall full of roses designed with ‘Will You Marry Me?’ She turned around after she read the question and I was right there on one knee. Then both of our families joined us for the big celebration.”
Damian Lillard
Damian and Kay’la had a beautiful wedding ceremony at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, Montecito, CA.
Musical performances by Johnny Gill, Common, Snoop Dogg, Tevin Campbell, R.L. Huggar of Next, and Blxst kept the celebration going.
Following a long night of celebration, the newlyweds flew to the Italian Mediterranean for their honeymoon.
Since then, Lillard has frequently conveyed his contentment and delight in his union with his wife.
The pair always recognized one other’s influence and presence in their lives. They had a great deal of admiration for one another.
“I knew Damian was the one once I realized he could handle my crazy attitude. I’m a Scorpio. I’m a very passionate and strong-willed person who can easily get stuck in my ways. I needed a man I could feel comfortable leading me in all areas and Damian is the man I trust with my life. He’s always cool, calm, and protective.”
Kay’la Hanson
Likewise, Damian frequently attributed his NBA success to his wife, praising her for supporting, accepting, and believing in him despite his shortcomings.
“I knew Kay’La was the one a long time ago. When we were in college she took care of me. She had the car, an apartment and bent over backwards for me. Kay’La accepted me with all my flaws as a young man. Someone told me I couldn’t love her any more but the moment she started walking down the aisle towards me I felt even more overcome with love.”
Damian Lillard
Lillard sustained an abdominal injury in 2021, forcing him to miss the season. He then had surgery and went through physical therapy in early 2022.
He expressed gratitude to his wife for assisting him in his recovery.
However, even though the NBA star and his wife had a beautiful marriage, they decided to part ways.
Lillard filed for divorce from Hanson in Portland on October 2, 2023. According to the documents, “irreconcilable differences” in the relationship resulted in “the irremediable breakdown of their marriage.”
The document also indicated that Lillard left the family home in December 2022.
Kay’la Hanson Is An Entrepreneur Now!
Born on November 8, 1991, Kay’La Hanson graduated from Legacy High School in 2010.
After graduating high school, the Nevada native began studying nursing at Webster State University in Utah, where she met her ex-husband, Damian Lillard.
Then, she worked in healthcare for approximately six years. Although having a nursing degree, Kay’la is now an entrepreneur.
She owns a nail shop called Dipped Nails in the Portland area. She partnered with Brittney Coleman to open the nail salon in 2019.
Moreover, her cosmetics business has become immensely lucrative. Dipped Nails’ Instagram profile has 90.5K followers, highlighting the enduring popularity of the business.
According to the divorce document, Kay’La has relocated into a $2.7 million house in the Portland suburb of West Linn, while Lillard is still living in their $7.7 million home in the same neighborhood.
According to this source, Kay’la is seeking exclusive custody of the children.
“It is in the children’s best interests that I be awarded sole custody. I am best positioned to address the ongoing needs of our minor children. I have been responsible for the children’s care since their birth.
He never been the sole parent responsible for the care of all three of our children, for any hours-long period of time without the help of nannies, assistants, and/or family members.”
Kay’la Hanson
She has also accused Damian of extensively depending on nannies and assistants for childcare, suggesting she would be more suitable as the primary caregiver.
“I understand he is busy and has many commitments he must attend to. I also understand that the brand ‘Damian Lillard’ needs to continue with an image of a family-man. Despite our separation for several months, I have continued to support that image to the public.”
Kay’la Hanson
On the contrary, Damian is also vying for sole custody of their children. As of 2024, the custody battle between Damian Lillard and Kay’la Hanson remains unsolved.
@robertlittalbso Did Damian Lillard’s wife cheat in him and thats why he wants a divorce? #damianlillard #bucks #blazers #cheater ♬ Loyal (feat. Lil Wayne & Tyga) – Chris Brown
Aside from this information, Kay’la has maintained a low profile and stayed out of the limelight.
Furthermore, she continues to use Damian’s surname even after the divorce. Damian has also not removed any of the couple’s images from Instagram.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Besides his blooming NBA career, Damian Lillard is also a rapper under the stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A.
- His first studio album, The Letter O (2016), debuted on the Billboard 200, while his second and third albums, Confirmed (2017) and Big D.O.L.L.A. (2019), landed on the indie charts.
- His brother, Houston, is an Indoor Football League quarterback.
- Lillard has a trademark shoe line with Adidas called the Adidas Dame.
