Source: VH1 / VH1 press image
Season 2 of VH1’s Basketball Wives seems like it aired eons ago, and since then, a number of cast members from that season have divorced; Jennifer Williams, Evelyn Lozada, Gloria Govan (the latter two married later and then got a divorce), and now friend to the show Kim Russell is looking to move on from her marriage.
She has filed for divorce from former NBA star Byron Russell after a significant 25 years of marriage. According to The Blast, she filed papers to end the marriage on August 24 in Los Angeles County Court. The couple share three children together. The site didn’t mention whether or not the reason for the divorce petition was shared in the papers.
You may not remember Kim, as Season 2 had a lot going on. It was Tami Roman’s first season on the show, the beginning of Lozada’s short-lived relationship with Chad Johnson, and the slow but sure demise of Williams’s marriage, so all that overshadowed Kim’s positivity. She is pictured next to Lozada in the cast photo above.
Kim was only featured on Basketball Wives for one season. During her time, she and Byron tried to help an unhappy Jennifer and Eric Williams deal with their marital issues. The couple’s romantic celebration of their 16th wedding anniversary was also featured on the show.
She stated in an interview with Ballertainment in 2011 after her time on the series that the key to their marriage working was her ability to do her own thing and have something for herself.
“As far as my marriage with Bryon, confidence is very important. He’s a busy man, he’s doing his thing, he doesn’t stop. He’s very confident, and when I’m confident, we vibe well because I’m not chasing him. I’m doing me and it’s so much better,” she said. “Stepping out and doing my own thing gives me room to grow and he sees that in me and he loves it. It’s attractive. When women do their own thing, whether it makes money or not, it keeps a marriage going.”
Byron hasn’t responded to the divorce filing as of yet. We’re sad to hear that after two decades together, the pair won’t be able to make it work. Check out a clip of them during much happier times below.
