Who is Damian Lillard's ex-wife Kay'La Hanson? Exploring personal life of Milwaukee Bucks point guard

Key Highlights

• Damian Lillard met his ex-wife Kay'La Hanson in college through a friend. Their love blossomed, leading to their staying together and growing a beautiful family before marrying in 2021.
• Lillard's move to Milwaukee Bucks coincided with the time of his wife filing for a divorce due to irreconcilable differences. Couple had started living separately way before filing the divorce officially.
• Kay'La is an entrepreneur and owns a nail salon, though she has a degree in nursing.

Kay’La Hanson is an entrepreneur who owns a nail salon near Portland. The venture, Dipped Nails , was started in 2019. She was married to Damian Lillard, the NBA star, for two years. Previously, they stayed together for several years before getting married. Damian Lillard started his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012.

After eleven years of playing for the Trail Blazers, he transitioned to the Milwaukee Bucks. He called it a ‘big boy decision’ but had to pay a heavy price for his new move. The player found the transition quite consuming. It also affected his personal life, leading to his divorce from Kay'La Hanson, his partner since college.


Recently, the player was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis , which kept him away from the court since March 18. Let’s dive into Lillard’s personal life details, exploring key moments of his relationship with his ex-wife Kay'La.


Kay’La Hanson met Damian Lillard during her college days


Kay’La Hanson attended Weber State University in Utah, where a friend introduced her to Damian Lillard. The meeting led to a long-term relationship. They reportedly were together for ten years before getting engaged, as mentioned in a report published at Essence.







When Kay’La met Lillard, she was pursuing a degree in nursing. Damian was carving a niche as a basketball player and found a great companion in Kay’La. In 2015, Lillard studied to earn a bachelor's degree in Professional Sales before jumping into a basketball career full-time.


How Kay’La Hanson and Damian Lillard’s relationship bloomed


Kay’La Hanson was a pillar in Damian Lillard’s personal life. She took great care of him, and they lived together for several years before taking their relationship to the next level.


People.com explored the NBA star’s early dating days and mentioned his 2021 interview with Ebony, where he shared:


“ 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."


The same report published by People mentions that they built a beautiful family together, welcoming three children during their relationship. The couple married in 2021, a few months after their twins were born. They welcomed their first child in 2018.



Damian Lillard planned his marriage proposal in style


Damian Lillard’s 2021 interview with Ebony also sheds light on the interesting way he planned his marriage proposal. He chose the exciting weekend of the NBA All-Star 2020 as the time to propose to Kay’La. Recalling the moment, he shared:


“ 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?'”








When asked about the moment after he popped the question, he said, " Then both of our families joined us for the big celebration."



Lillard married Kay’La on September 4, 202, in Montecito, California. However, the relationship started going south just two years into their marriage.


Kay’La Hanson and Damian Lillard divorced in 2023


Damian had a steady career in basketball while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. However, he wanted a change and mulled over seeking a trade to the other team. The star Point Guard found the opportunity in the Milwaukee Bucks’ offer, but he seemingly was unprepared for the ensuing changes.








The couple reportedly had started living separately long before they filed officially for the divorce on October 2, 2023. In the filing, they stated ‘irreconcilable differences caused the irremediable breakdown of their marriage’ as the reason for the separation.



She also makes money from paid collaborations and Instagram posts, though her exact income figures from these sources are not publicly available.



Also Read: Kay’La, Damian Lillard’s ex wife, filled with emotion after seeing her kids delighting in Christmas carols


Does Damian Lillard’s divorce from college sweetheart Kay’La shed light on the challenges athletes face in their personal lives? Share your thoughts in the comments.