DAMIAN Lillard wasted no time in opening up to his new Milwaukee Bucks teammates about the pain of his divorce from wife Kay’La.
One member of the Bucks roster, who spoke to The U.S. Sun on the condition of anonymity, said the seven-time NBA All-Star admitted the last few months “were tough and not easy to deal with.”
NBA star Damian Lillard filed for divorce from college sweetheart wife Kay’La just days after his blockbuster trade from Portland to Milwaukee
Lillard’s new pals believe teaming up with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will help ease his divorce pain
Lillard shares three young children with his college sweetheart whom he married in 2021 and filed for divorce on October 2, just a week after sealing his surprise move from Portland.
The filing stated that “irreconcilable differences caused the irremediable breakdown” of their marriage and how, in December last year, Kay’La moved into a $2.7million pad, while Lillard remained in the family home.
Sources close to the 33-year-old stress that the move to Milwaukee, where he will team up with superstar power forward Giannis Antekokounmpo, will be a fresh start for the point guard – both on and off the court.
“Dame came to talk for a bit about it, and he said that the last few months leading to this decision of getting a divorce were tough because it’s not easy to deal with this kind of situation, and because it’s the mother of his kids,” the player said.
“It’s important to be supportive in this kind of situation, because many of the guys of the team are also fathers, and coming to a new team, a new town and a new environment can also be difficult sometimes when you are dealing with a family situation.”
.
The player also emphasized Lillard’s mental toughness and the fact that his new Bucks teammates will be there to support him in getting through the trauma of witnessing his family break apart.
It’s a fresh start for him. The unnamed star continued, “Being outside of Portland can also be advantageous because he can likely move on more readily in a location where he has a fresh start.
After 11 seasons with the Trailblazers, where he established himself as one of the all-time greats of the NBA despite a Finals drought, Lillard was eager for a new beginning.
It was a big call to leave Portland – and with his home life in turmoil, Lillard was struggling to come to terms with the imminent changes in his life.
“The last couple of months where he had to deal with a lot of stress and uncertainty about his future, both with his basketball career and his personal life,” added a close friend.
“The chapter in Portland came to an end both in his basketball career and in his love life with his ex-wife, and it’s going to be a good fresh new start in Wisconsin.
“He knows he has a strong circle of support and it hasn’t been the easiest last few months for him that is for sure.
“But he is a warrior, he is a fighter and he will embrace this fresh start in Milwaukee the best way.
“It will be very good for him because he will get in the routine of the NBA season and focus on basketball, moving on from the divorce situation and the stress and tensions of the last few months.”
A source at the Bucks has told The U.S. Sun that Lillard’s new teammates will rally around the seven-time NBA All-Star and help him on and off the court