Kenny Smith tied the knot for the third time with a Croatian influencer in a luxurious Newport Coast ceremony
What he couldn’t achieve on the basketball court, Kenny Smith pulled off in his personal life last night. The two-time champion with the Houston Rockets failed to secure a three-peat during his playing days, but he has now managed to sail into marriage for the third time in his life.
The 61-year-old tied the knot with Croatian influencer Tia Jurcic, who is 19 years younger and has over 35,000 followers on social media platforms like Instagram.
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The couple said “I do” at a luxury resort in California, with Jurcic sharing photos from the wedding on Instagram, revealing details of the ceremony and her lavish wedding dress. The ceremony took place at the famous Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California.
Both Kenny and Tia are entering marriage for the third time
Despite the significant age gap, the couple share that they are entering marriage for the third time. Tia has previous marriages behind her, one with former basketball player Chris Warren, who made a name for himself overseas and with whom she shares a son, and another with a Croatian soccer manager.
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On the other hand, Smith already has four children and two previous marriages lasting 10 and 11 years, which he recently spoke about when Smith defended his relationship history after two divorces.
“So I was married 10 years and 11,” explained Smith. “In 21 years, I had only been with two women. My boy been with two women in one night two weeks ago…I had extended relationships for long periods. Like, I don’t cheat. I didn’t cheat on my wife.”
“I was happy with what I was doing. We just grew different ways. So like 10 years one time, 11. Two women could only really say that they know me. I don’t know if we all could say that. I just don’t know,” he added.
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Whether this marriage will last longer remains to be seen, but judging by their social media accounts, Smith is thoroughly enjoying the company of his beautiful wife during the NBA offseason, when he doesn’t have to cover the league on the platforms where he has also become one of the best in the business over the years.
Related: Kenny Smith recalls Vernon Maxwell leaving the Rockets after missing a game-winner – “I almost had tears coming down”
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
