Damian Lillard’s Wife Kay’la Hanson Took Care of Him in College

Kay’la Hanson, Damian Lillard’s wife, got engaged to the NBA star in a room full of famous faces after falling in love in college. Although she is commonly known as Damian Lillard’s wife, Kay’la Hanson worked towards her medical degree and now owns her own store.

After meeting during their university days, Hanson knew Lilliard was the one for her after she realized how well he handled her “crazy.” Hanson is a Scorpio, born on November 8, 1991, and described herself as “strong-willed.”

After getting married in an outdoor wedding well documented by her mother, Hanson gave birth to her first child in 2018. Putting family first, her husband was fresh off the court when he hopped on a plane to be there for the birth of his firstborn son.

Kay’la Hanson Has a Medical Degree

Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Hanson graduated from Legacy High School with Honors in 2010. Although she did not pursue a career as a nurse, she studied Nursing at Nightingale College before attending Weber State University.

An interest in the medical field ran in the family, as Hanson’s mother, Lanita Wilson, works in a Plastic Surgery Center and is the Clinic Manager at Medi-Weightloss Lake Mary. According to her Facebook page, Wilson is engaged to a man named Maurice Bullard.

She regularly takes to social media platforms to share pictures and videos of her family. In 2020, she used her platform to share that her children were the inspiration behind her loud voice advocating for justice. Wilson wrote:

“I’m vocal because we are way overdue for everyone to stand together and be extremely vocal. The most important reason I am so vocal is because of my children, the love of my life along with my grandbabies. I will always fight for what’s right.”

Her daughter graduated from Weber State in 2014, and Hanson replaced her graduation cap with a businesswoman cap and opened a beauty salon in Oregon.

Kay’la Hanson and Damian Lillard’s Love Story

After a long-standing relationship, Lilliard asked Hanson to be his wife during a privately held party. The special occasion took place during the NBA All-Star weekend, and Lilliard managed to sneak all their family members and friends into a private venue without Hanson noticing.

With a wall of roses that read ‘Will you marry me,” Lillard got down on one knee and proposed to Hanson. Rapper Common attended the celebratory evening in Chicago, as well as Lilliars’s former teammates Evan Turner and Tim Fraizer.

His mentor, former Blazers assistant David Vanterpool was also included on the guest list for the engagement party that was well-documented by Lilliard’s mother on social media.

Lilliard and Hanson said “I do” during Labor Day weekend on September 4, 2021, at the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California. On her big day, Hanson wore a wedding gown and veil by Galia Lahav, and her groom revealed:

“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 backward for me. Kay’La accepted me with all my flaws as a young man.”

Damian Lillard Rushed to See the Birth of His Firstborn

In 2018, Hanson went into labor with the couple’s firstborn child while her husband was scoring point after point against the New Orleans Pelicans in Portland. Fresh off the court, Lillard caught word of his son’s pending arrival and rushed straight to the hospital from his flight home.

After the birth of their son, Hanson’s husband shared that he was a changed man on and off the court. “This might sound crazy, but that’s been the difference in me as a player this season,” he replied after he was asked how fatherhood had changed him.

On January 21, 2021, Hanson gave birth to twins, a girl, and a boy. Damian Lillard took to Instagram to share the news, and in the process of nesting, Hanson shared, “We wanted to create a space that was both comfortable and modern.”