NBA fans know Marita Stavrou as the ex-wife of former basketball player Reggie Miller. Before deciding to end their relationship, the former couple was together for about ten years.
Their divorce deviated significantly from the norm and later turned nasty. Reggie paid a significant chunk of his income as part of the divorce settlement, but Marita Stavrou claimed he was hiding a large portion of his wealth. Was she right?
We’ll learn about their divorce in this piece, along with some fascinating details about Marita Stavrou. We’ll talk about her upbringing, parents, and current activities.
Early life: Her parents Brought up Marita Stavrou in Chicago
She was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 26, 1965. She was five when this piece was written.
Marita is of mixed White and African-American ancestry. Her father is a Jew, while her mother Margaret Stavrou is of African-American descent.
Chicago was where Marita spent her formative years. There, she also completed her official education.
Do Marita’s Siblings Exist?
Yes, there are a few siblings for Reggie Miller’s ex-wife. We discovered that she has three siblings—two sisters and one brother—after conducting an extensive, painstaking study. Sarah and Andreniki is her sister, and Paul Stavrou Jr. is her brother.
The four Stavrou siblings, especially the sisters, are extremely close. According to their Facebook page, Marita and her sisters are frequently seen hanging out.
It’s safe to assume that Stavros is a cheerful person who appreciates family.
As a result of her Marriage to Reggie Miller, Marita Stavrou Rose to Fame
After she began dating NBA Hall of Famer Reggie, she fell under the scrutiny of all the national newspapers. Miller was at the pinnacle of his career in 1990 when they first started dating.
They married on August 29, 1992, after dating for around two years. Although nothing is known about their wedding, one thing is certain: given that he was one of the highest-paid athletes at the time, it may have been a significant occasion.
Reggie And Marita Met When and How?
A mutual friend is typically how athletes find their future wives or girlfriends. It’s because they don’t have enough time to search for the ideal match.
Similarly, Magic Johnson, another Hall of Famer from the NBA, presented Marita and Reggie. Magin acted as their matchmaker while they were both at a charity dinner in Los Angeles.
Reggie had already made up his mind to settle down following his playing career before he met her. But when he began dating Stavrou, everything changed. He was certain he would marry her right away, and he did.
Reggie Miller Initially Requested a Divorce
There are only a few cases of celebrity divorces that end happily. Most of the time, there is a heated argument between the two sides. Everything works, from reaching out to one another to disclosing a sinister secret about their relationship.
The divorce between Reggie and Marita was in a similar situation. Reggie initiated the process by filing for separation in August 2000. A few days before inking a $36 million contract with the Pacers, he split from Marita.
During that time, a source close to the situation remarked, “I’m guessing he probably wasn’t all that happy in the marriage and he thought, ‘Well if it’s going down the tubes, I’ll file now, that way she won’t get any more of my money.'”
Regarding the reason for his separation, many tabloids at the time asserted that Miller did so after his Indiana home, which he and Marita shared, was destroyed by arson. Despite numerous accounts claiming otherwise, Miller’s wife has never been accused of setting the house on fire.
Reggie and Marita Stavrou’s Messy Divorce
The story didn’t finish when they split apart. Marita was asked to sign a prenup before they got married, and she did so without any reservations at the time.
Reggie paid the $5 million that the prenup said was hers at the time the divorce petition was filed. Marita wasn’t happy with the decision, though.
She accused Reggie of hoarding his enormous sums of money by loaning it to his buddies after getting the money, which she said significantly affected the divorce settlement.
Marita requested $18,000 in spousal support every month. When Miller’s attorney Buck Berry questioned what she was intending to do with $18,000 a month, she responded that she was going to pay the rent on her New York apartment with it.
Even though everything was made clear when Marita accused Reggie of hoarding his money, the two sides came to a silent agreement.
The Marriage Between Marita and Reggie Was Doomed From the Start
Many of you might find this shocking, but it’s the reality. Yes, even before the marriage had started, there were signs of trouble. The first time we learned anything about their marriage was from Reggie himself, who claimed in a 1994 interview that his wife was extremely bored on their first night in Indianapolis.
Marita had already relocated to Los Angeles at the time of the interview to pursue a career as an actress. Miller’s attorney claimed during the divorce proceedings that the NBA player felt ignored by his wife because of Stavrou’s relocation to Los Angeles. The attorney further stated that she used to travel much around Europe, LA, and NY and rarely returned home.
In all honesty, a marriage that doesn’t involve the pair spending as much time together as possible is doomed.
Marita Stavrou Established Her personality While Being Married to an NBA Star
When you are married to a celebrity, it is challenging to keep your individuality intact. When you are married to an athlete, it is 10 times tougher since you are constantly on the go.
Marita, however, never let anything stand between her and her job. She moved to a different state, as we indicated previously, without even thinking twice to advance her job.
Her close friend in 2001 described her as “a very, very clever, articulate girl. She’s done a wonderful job, in my opinion, of developing her own identity outside of that of Reggie Miller’s wife.
And with good reason. She is still widely known as Reggie’s ex-wife, although some people may also be familiar with her through her acting career.
She has appeared in numerous commercials and a few films, including Dinner Rush, Strictly Business, and Family Matters.
What is Marita Stavrou Now Doing?
She is currently leading a rather calm life. She has seldom emerged from the shadows following the arguments during the divorce settlement with Reggie. Nevertheless, we had seen her a few times here and there.
Additionally, she owns and runs Marita Stavrou Inc, a Miami, Florida-based lifestyle business. The company is committed to producing beautiful and functional commercial environments that combine elegance and class, according to its website.
Marita possesses extraordinary ability in interior design. Her primary duties at her company are to plan television productions, curate art collections, design contemporary homes, and decorate interiors.
She is not only a professional but also a humanitarian. She is passionate about empowering women everywhere, not just in the United States. She once worked on the design of libraries for Africa with BBALP—Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project.
She formerly served as South Beach Atrium Condominium Association, Inc.’s director.
Are Marita Stavrou and Reggie Miller Still Together?
It appears that Marita has not wed anyone after her breakup with Miller. She leads a rather quiet existence, which makes it challenging to delve into her personal affairs.
Reggie, on the other hand, is presently engaged to Laura Laskowski in a committed relationship. The couple has two children but prefers to keep their relationship a secret.
In September 2013, their older kid, a boy named Ryker, was born. Lennox, their daughter, and second child, was born in May 2016.
In addition, Marita once had a romantic involvement with businessman and record executive Russell Simmons.
Marita Stavrou’s Net Worth
Marita’s estimated current net worth is $10 million. She received $5 million from Reggie as part of their divorce agreement.
She didn’t spend all of the money immediately after receiving it. Instead, she invested it all, and as a result, she now has a sizable fortune. She is an entrepreneur as well as a socialite.
Reggie, her ex-husband, has an astounding net worth of $80 million, on the other hand.