(Basketball Network) - Divorce rates among athletes are higher than in the general population, with estimates ranging from 60 to 80 percent. Some go under the radar, but others, like the falling-out between Kevin Garnett and his wife, Brandi, made headlines because of the massive amount of money involved.
Back in July 2018, Brandi Padilla, Garnett’s wife of 14 years, filed for divorce while also seeking physical custody of their two children, Kapri and Kavalli, who were 10 and six, respectively, at the time.
Of course, with the kids around, she was also seeking child support to the tune of $46,000 per month and a monthly spousal support of $146,000. In addition, Brandi wanted Kevin to reimburse $300,000 in legal fees.
The Verdict
Divorce cases are initiated by women 90 percent of the time, and the Garnetts’ case was no different. It is also standard operating procedure for wives to seek some monetary benefit, as they face the burden of reduced income and the sole responsibility for caring for the kids.
When it comes to financial support, it’s case-by-case. Garnett, often called “The Big Ticket” in NBA circles, earned approximately $334 million over a 21-season career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. His six-year, $126 million deal with the T-Wolves back in 1997 basically sparked the lockout that led to the creation of the salary cap.
In short, Garnett made a lot of money during his playing career, not to mention endorsement deals, and Padilla wanted a piece of the pie.
In the court ruling issued in July 2018, about a year after the divorce case was filed, Brandi pretty much got what she wanted. Instead of $192,000 of total child and spousal support, the court approved $100,000 per month for both. Then, Garnett was ordered to pay $300,000 in legal fees and an additional $225,000.
Therefore, in addition to the legal fees and the extra KG had to pay $1.2 million in annual support. And worse, that amount could increase if the 2004 NBA MVP does not hold his end of the bargain.
KG and Brandi’s $12 million prenup conflict
Another interesting part, besides the total amount Garnett had to pay Padilla, was the fact that the ex-couple had a prenuptial agreement. That document is supposed to protect the 15-time All-Star from situations like this. Still, something came up that ultimately worked against him.
According to the agreement, as claimed by Brandi, Kevin “was supposed to fund a joint account that was to be worth $12 million and that she would receive half if they ever part ways. She says the account had nearly nothing in it when they separated,” per The Blast, the celebrity news website that first got hold of the incident.
Garnett had various ways to make money, including a marijuana business that he cashed in for $5 million, as well as amended tax returns that netted the NBA superstar an additional $11 million.
“Brandi got none of it,” her lawyer said in a statement.
The whole debacle turned into a pricey goodbye for Garnett. He learned the hard way that sometimes, airtight contracts can start to leak. For many rich athletes and celebrities, the romance fades over time, but the invoice certainly does not.
By Jan Rey T. Obguia
February 7, 2026
