Houston Lillard, a kind, honest and caring person, is known as the father of a professional basketball player, Damian Lillard.

There is an idiom that goes, “An apple does not fall far from the tree.” Damian exhibits similar qualities to that of his old man.

Damian received many compliments that he is exactly like his father, Houston, to which he strongly agrees. His mom often jokingly says, “You’re just like your dad.”

Damian said they’re like the same person, and if he had to emphasize one thing, they both care a lot about other people.

Would Damian have made it out of Oakland to be the successful basketball player he is today without his father? Maybe or maybe not.

But one thing is for sure his father surely gave him the push he needed to make it big.

Having a father or father figure in one’s life is essential, no matter where you’re from. And Damian is lucky that his father was always beside him to tackle every challenge he faced in his life.

We will learn more about the NBA star’s father in this article, and let’s start with the quick facts;

Quick Facts 

Houston Lillard   

Damian Lillard’s father, Houston Lillard, is a resident of Oakland, California. He took proper care of his family throughout their struggling phase.

Houston has always been a very supportive father; as Damian said, his father has been his best friend for as long as he can remember.

He presented his support by going to his basketball games and helping him with his studies.

In addition, he also motivated the NBA star by passing down life lessons, and never backed down on any chances he got to share his wisdom.

Houston is all about taking care of his children. He took care of everyone in the house, even his nephew.

His children always speak highly of their father, and as per his kids, he was always there to help them and care for the family whenever someone needed something.

He is still as helpful as he was in the past, and his children can count on him whenever they need help. 

Brief Details About Damian Lillard

Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr., born on July 15, 1990, is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Damian played college basketball for the Weber State Wildcats. He also earned AP Third-Team All-American honors in 2012.

After being selected by the Blazers in the 2012 NBA draft, Lillard was unanimously voted the NBA Rookie of the Year.

He is nicknamed “Dame Time” for his habit of scoring clutch shots in the final seconds.

Damian has been named seven times as the NBA All-Star, the second-most in the Blazers franchise history after 10-time NBA All-Star Clyde Drexler.

Early Life & Childhood

Damian attended high school at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, California. He joined the varsity starting lineup as a 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) freshman.

For his sophomore year, he decided to transfer to St. Joseph Notre Dame High School after his Arroyo High’s coach did not return to the team after his freshman year.

Lillard joined the same private school that had produced former NBA point guard Jason Kidd.

Unfortunately, a lack of playing time precipitated Lillard’s transfer to Oakland High School by the end of the year.

Besides, the NBA star was enthralled by skating and basketball as a child and spent most of his time at the neighborhood skating in the rink or basketball court.

Social Media Presence 

Damian Lillard has a huge fan following on his social media since he frequently posts updates about his life.

He knows how powerful these social media platforms can be and utilizes them to their best.

He didn’t join social media before he was an NBA star as, according to him, he was swamped and focused on making it to the league. 

But after he joined NBA, he became available on Instagram under the handle @damianlillard, Facebook @Damian Lillard, and Twitter @Dame_Lillard.

Instagram: 9.7m followers

Facebook: 5m followers

Twitter: 3.2m followers

Other Children 

Houston Lillard has a total of three children with his ex-wife Gina Johnson. His son Damian Lillard is a famous basketball player. Besides Damian, Houston has two other children; Houston Lillard Jr. and Lanae Lillard.

Brief Details About Lanae Lillard 

Lanae Lillard, born on February 25, 1998, is the daughter of Houston but is mainly known as the sister of Damian Lillard.

The younger sister of the Blazers point guard played her first season on the girls basketball squad for the Lakeridge Pacers.

She had performed well and scored seven points in a 65-24 loss to Tigard. Damian is very supportive of his sister and frequently asks about her games.

Likewise, Lanae is also a supportive sister and was even involved in a feud with Paul George and his girlfriend, Daniela.

Social Media Presence

Lanae Lillard is very active on her social media, where she often shares a story and sometimes posts. She is available on Instagram under the handle @lanaelillard with 13.6k followers.

Brief Details About Houston Jr. Lillard  

Houston Jr. Lillard, the eldest son of Houston and brother of the Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, is a head football coach at Jefferson High School in Portland.

Lillard began his coaching career as offensive coordinator for the Democrats. 

He started playing football at San Lorenzo High School in Oakland, California, and was named the All-League quarterback. Like his brother Damian, he also played basketball and averaged 16.0 points per game.

After graduation, he played football at Laney Community College.

In 2005, Houston was named into the first-team ALL-League after finishing the season with 1,833 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Lillard aided his team to the Capitol Shrine Bowl victory and led the Eagles to a Golden Gate conference championship.

In 2014 Lillard tried to bring back his football playing career when he tried out as a quarterback for the Portland Thunder.

However, things didn’t work out, as former Oregon Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas was at the helm.

Social Media Profile 

Houston Lillard is very active on social media. He frequently shares a post giving an update about his life.

You can find him on Instagram under the handle @houstonlillard with 19.1k followers, and Twitter @flyguyhuey5 with 8,616 followers.

Parenting In A Bad Neighborhood

Damian Lillard and his father are very close to each other. However, their bond had nourished more when Damian’s father and mother parted ways. 

Growing up in an environment of drugs, murder, gangs, and prostitution, it’s certainly more crucial for a young man to grow up having a father figure.

Houston has made sure to be around his kids to steer the deteriorating influences of the street culture away from them.

According to Damian, there were too many negative influences in Oakland. He was very apathetic about all those kinds of stuff, which led him to be a successful basketball player.

Damian feels like, now playing in the NBA, he can provide for his family, and Lillard is in a position where he can make an impact on the lives of millions.

Houston Lillard, As A Single Father 

Houston raised his children in Oakland, California, one of the most crime-ridden cities in the United States.

Drugs, gangs, and prostitution have been outspread in the city, creating a hostile and sometimes unbearable influence on the youth.

But Damian is so grateful that his father single-handedly made them aware of those negative influences and made sure his kids stayed away from those kinds of stuff.

The NBA player is forever indebted to the sacrifices his father made and owes everything to his loving father.

When his parents split, Damian could have gone down the wrong path. But thanks to his father, who handled the difficult situation very well, and did a good job raising him and his siblings.

Damian Lillard, As A Person

According to Damian, Houston is a quiet man and keeps his calm all the time. He is a candid man who tells everything you need to hear, not what you want to hear. 

Houston is like that all the time. Damian also said that the challenging behavior of his father shaped him and his siblings the way they are now. 

Damian’s father behaves in a similar manner to everyone and not just his kids.

Some of the children in East Oakland who did not have their own father considered Damian’s father as their own because of his kind and honest behavior.

Damian said that that’s the kind of person his father is. 

Houston’s honest and constant nature to everybody is a catalyst to his being loved by everyone.

The NBA star’s friends love him like a father. He is a very caring person who rates everyone the same way.

Ex-Wife, Gina Johnson 

Houston Lillard’s ex-wife, Gina Johnson, worked as a coordinator at a medical insurance company for about 18 years. 

She had to spend all day in front of a computer screen, processing claims, and started experiencing health problems of her own.

After signing his rookie contract, Damian went to her job and asked her to quit.

Damian had what most would ponder as ‘The perfect American Family,’ a mother, a father, a sister, and a brother, all living together under one roof. However, that did not last long.

When he was in high school, Damian’s parents separated. It was tragic for a young child like him and his siblings.

However, Gina and Houston are on good terms and are frequently seen together with their family.

Social Media Profile 

Gina’s social media reflects that she is a proud mother of three children. Additionally, she is a proud grandmother too. She often shares pictures of her family. 

You can find her on Instagram under the handle @sugagee. She has 8,686 followers currently. 

As we all know, when the parents split, the children are the ones who have to endure the most. The Lillard children also had to go through such an experience.

They were in high school when Houston and Gina decided to part ways.

Lillard and Johnson have always had a good relationship, even after the split, which led to easier adjustments for the kids.

They lived in the same city, so Houston’s children got to see both parents all the time, so it wasn’t that hard for them.

Damian stayed with his father, despite being significantly close to his mother. 

Houston established a much more robust bond with his children after his divorce and did everything not to make his children feel left out.

Daughter-In-Law Kay’La Hanson

Damian Lillard, son of Houston, is married to his longtime college sweetheart Kay’La Hanson in front of family and friends. 

Hanson, from Las Vegas, met Damian Lillard at Weber State University in Utah. During that time, Lillard was pursuing a career in basketball, while Hanson was pursuing her career as a nurse.

Kayla Hanson has a small business salon named ‘Dipped’ in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Her salon is primarily focused on the business of nails. 

Social Media Profile

Kay’La was very active on her social media. However, her account is not available at the moment.

Before, she used to constantly posts about her family, children, and business. In addition, she posted about varieties of products to promote her small business.

Hanson was on Instagram under the handle @kayla.lillard.

Grandchildren 

Houston Lillard’s son Damian has three children with his wife, Kay’La Hanson. The couple has a baby boy and twins (a girl and a boy). 

Damian Lillard and Kayla gave birth to a baby boy, Damian Lillard Jr., in 2018.

And his two twins are named Kali Emma Lee Lillard and Kalii Laheem Lillard. They were born in January 2021.

Houston Lillard’s eldest son also has two children. So to summon up, Houston has five grandchildren. 

Net Worth 

There is no information about the profession of Houston Lillard, so his financial information is tough to crack.

However, his son Damian Lillard’s net worth is estimated to be around $100 million as of 2023.

The Blazers point guard accumulated most of his fortune from his professional basketball career.

Besides, he is also engaged in endorsement and several sponsorships through which he makes extra cash.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston Lillard Sr divorced?

Yes, Houston Lillard is divorced from his previous marriage to Gina Johson, the mother of Damian Lillard. They got divorced when Damian was in high school. 

However, they share a good and understanding bond even after the divorce. Together they have three children; Houston Jr Lillard, Damian Lillard, and a daughter Lanae Lillard. 

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