NBA veteran Kevin Martin is selling his million-dollar-plus homes in New Albany and in his hometown of Zanesville.
Martin, who logged 12 years and 12,000 points in the league, moved back to Ohio in 2021 with his wife, Jill. They plan to remain in the New Albany area to raise their daughters, 2 and 6.
“Once I left at 18, I hadn’t lived in Ohio,” said Martin, 40, who spent much of his career with the Sacramento Kings. “It’s been great just being back, around everybody and seeing familiar faces like (fellow basketball stars) Michael Redd, J.J. Sullinger and Matt Sylvester.”
Martin, who was inducted last year into the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Circle of Champions, bought the New Albany home on Highgrove Circle in 2020 for $2.56 million. The home includes five bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and 8,972 square feet.
Amenities include a second-floor den, a finished basement with a bedroom, kitchen and rec room, a covered porch with fireplace, and a brick patio and entrance.
“It’s been a pleasure living on Highgrove,” Martin said. “Great neighbors, beautiful houses, it’s just a warming, great family neighborhood here. And the house speaks for itself when you see it.”
Mark Neff, with The New Albany Co., has listed the Martins’ home for $3.75 million.
Martin is also selling his home on Fairfield Road in Zanesville, which he bought in 2008. Martin said he and Jill, also a Zanesville native, don’t spend as much time in the home since they bought in New Albany.
“I’m staying there one week out of the year now,” he said. “It’s a spectacular property, it’s just time to move on.”
The 6,000-square-foot home sits on 18 acres. Martin estimates he spent about $1 million upgrading the home, including a pool, an extensive patio with outdoor kitchen, a second detached garage and — what else? — a basketball court.
Martin said Carol Goff & Associates will list the home Friday for $1.695 million.
Martin isn’t sure where his next home will be in New Albany, though he does plan to build a home on a lot he bought that was split from a property Michael Redd sold last year in New Albany.
The home Martin builds may be an investment, tapping into his experience investing in real estate near his other home in Sarasota, Florida.
“My first Florida purchase was in 2011, and we’ve done over $100 million in transactions,” he said. “That’s my after-basketball career I want to focus on, buying and selling and developing real-estate in Florida.”
Martin retired from the NBA in 2016, with a career average of 17.4 points a game.
In 2001, Martin was a finalist for Ohio Mr. Basketball, losing to a kid from Akron named LeBron James.
That connection has him rooting for James’ L.A. Lakers in the NBA finals: “It’s always tough to go against our Ohio native LeBron.”
@JimWeiker