NBA point guard Damian Lillard has opened up about how his difficult divorce impacted his performance during his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Lillard filed for divorce from his wife of two years, Kay'La Hanson, in October 2023, citing irreconcilable differences after living separately since December 2022.
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The off-court turmoil coincided with a major career shift when he requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers to Milwaukee in summer 2023, ending an 11-year stint in Oregon.
Relocating to a new city while navigating the emotional toll of a broken marriage created unprecedented instability for the veteran guard.
"It's probably been the hardest transition in my life, all things considered," Lillard told Yahoo Sports.
He averaged 24.3 points per game that season, his lowest scoring average since 2015-16, excluding an injury-shortened 2021-22 campaign.
"As much as I love basketball and I love my job, I don't care about it more than I care about my kids," Lillard said.
"Of course, you carry it with you."
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Despite chasing an NBA championship alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, the emotional heartbreak proved difficult to overcome.
"You got to keep pushing forward," he added.
"You've got to go home to your own stuff, and it plays a part in how you do your job."
The legal situation grew more complicated after the divorce was finalized in 2024, when a TMZ report revealed Hanson subpoenaed a woman named Justie Wolf to request a paternity test.
Court documents obtained by TMZ showed Hanson requested access to communications regarding the paternity of Wolf's daughter.
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Lillard is now back with the Portland Trail Blazers after the Bucks waived him following an Achilles injury that cut his 2025 postseason short.
