Following the Bucks deal, NBA star Damian Lillard filed for divorce from his college girlfriend
Just days after his sensational trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, seven-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard filed for divorce from his wife, according to court documents.
The divorce petition was submitted on Monday in Oregon’s Clackamas County Circuit Court by the former point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers. The 33-year-old Lillard and his college girlfriend, Kay’La Lillard’s, two-year marriage would come to an end with the divorce.
Together, the couple has three kids.
Wednesday’s announcement of the planned divorce, which Lillard has not yet publicly addressed, was originally reported by The Willamette Week. The most recent Instagram post by Lillard features a number of images of the All-NBA guard working out while wearing Bucks clothing, one of which features him with his new teammate, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
11-year career as the face of Portland ends with a trade to the Bucks
Lillard has been requesting a trade out of Portland for weeks, and the Miami Heat were said to be his top choice.
Instead, the guard was traded to Milwaukee as part of a three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns, ending an 11-season stay in Portland where Lillard, known as “Dame Time” for his propensity for making game-winning jumpers, had spent his entire career before becoming the face of the club.
The Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, who was later moved to the Boston Celtics, the Phoenix center Deandre Ayton, the Suns power forward Toumani Camara, a first-round selection by the Bucks in 2029, and the right to trade a future pick with Milwaukee, were all obtained by Portland in exchange. Phoenix, meanwhile, acquired center Jusuf Nurkic from Portland, along with a few other supporting cast members.
Lillard rose to superstardom while playing for Portland, where he teamed up with CJ McCollum to form a potent backcourt before the shooting guard was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans last year. Nevertheless, despite numerous postseason appearances, Lillard’s championship aspirations were never fulfilled because the front management needed to develop a genuine title challenger around the All-Star.
Before Lillard eventually made a trade request in June, the Trail Blazers had failed to make the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons. Now that Lillard is a member of the Bucks, a group that won its first NBA championship in 50 years in 2021, Lillard has a chance to win a championship.
Lillard’s career in Portland isn’t the only thing to have ended recently, according to news of his divorce.
Before being married two years ago, Lillard and Kay’La Hanson were sweethearts at Weber State University in Utah.
According to a copy of the divorce petition acquired by The Willamette Week, the Lillards’ “irreconcilable differences” “caused the irremediable breakdown of their marriage.”
The source claims that Kay’La Lillard moved into a $2.7 million house in the West Linn neighborhood of Portland in December. Her husband, meanwhile, remained in the couple’s $7.7 million estate, which is also located in West Linn, before relocating to a residence around 8 miles away in Tualatin last month, according to the publication.
The last Instagram post by Damian Lillard about Kay’La Lillard
Lillard did write an homage to Kay’La on Mother’s Day back in May, even though she has been significantly absent from his social media posts in recent months: “Takes a special individual to wear all the hats that a mother does. I adore you, and I’m grateful to share what I’m most proud of with you!”
Lillard revealed that he proposed to his future bride over the 2020 NBA All-Star weekend in a 2021 interview with Ebony.
On September 4, 2021, the couple exchanged vows in Montecito, California, in an outdoor wedding attended by rappers Snoop Dogg and Common, as well as other NBA players.
“The moment she started walking down the aisle towards me, I felt even more overcome with love,” Lillard said to Ebony.
Friday’s request for comment from USA TODAY was not immediately answered by Lillard’s lawyer, Shawn Menashe.
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