Montana Helena Klein Yao is an American model, influencer, and former Miss Malibu Teen USA 2016 winner, best known as the ex-wife of NBA star Malik Beasley. Discover her age, biography, career, children, net worth, divorce, and Instagram.
Quick facts
| Quick Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Montana Helena Klein Yao |
| Date of Birth | August 5, 1997 |
| Age | 27 years old (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | Newport Beach, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed (Chinese, English, Irish, German) |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches |
| Parents | Paul Yao & Gina Klein Yao |
| Siblings | None (only child) |
| Education | Maranatha High School, Malibu High School |
| Occupation | Model, Influencer, Entrepreneur |
| Pageant Title | Miss Malibu Teen USA 2016 |
| Spouse | Malik Beasley (m. 2020 – separated 2025) |
| Children | Makai Joseph Beasley, Mia Love Beasley |
| @montanayao (125K+ followers) | |
| Net Worth | ~$1 million |
Montana Helena Klein Yao Biography
Montana Helena Klein Yao is an American model and the winner of the Miss Malibu Teen USA competition of 2016. She was born on August 5, 1997, in Newport Beach, California. While her name became widely recognized through her marriage to NBA guard Malik Beasley, she had already been carving out a name for herself in the modeling and pageant world long before the spotlight found her through basketball.
After finishing her high school education, she briefly worked as a hostess at popular restaurants such as Catch NYC and Dukes Malibu before fully committing to her modeling ambitions. Her journey from a quiet upbringing in Newport Beach to becoming a recognized face in fashion and social media is a story of ambition, resilience, and reinvention.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Age
Montana was born on 5 August 1997 in Newport Beach, California. In August 2024, she celebrated her 27th birthday with an appreciation post on Instagram, writing: “27 was one for the books!” As of 2026, she is 27 years old and continues to grow her personal brand and online presence.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Family Background
Montana Helena Klein Yao was born at Hoag Hospital to Paul Yao and Gina Yao. Her father was born in Hong Kong and is from China. In the year 1965, he migrated to the USA. He served in the US Army during the 1970s.
Montana’s mother has English, Irish, and German heritage. She is an entrepreneur born and raised in the Valley of California. Gina co-owns the global brand JaggerEdge. This diverse blend of Eastern and Western heritage gives Montana a distinctly multicultural identity that she has proudly embraced throughout her public life.
Being raised in a very stable home where her parents remained married for close to 40 years, Montana Helena Klein Yao had hoped to enjoy a stable marital life — a hope that would later be tested by very public and painful circumstances. She is an only child, and by all accounts, her upbringing was grounded and supportive.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Modeling Career
Montana’s professional path began with a clear passion for fashion and pageantry. In 2016, just a year after completing her high school education, Yao made headlines when she won the Miss Malibu Teen USA 2016 pageant. She went on to compete at Miss California Teen USA 2016, where she secured a top-ten finish.
Her win at Miss Malibu opened doors to collaborations with major brands and opportunities in fashion. Following her success, she signed with Newmark Models and appeared in ZARA’s high-profile campaigns. She is also the co-owner of JaggerEdge, a global brand started by her mother.
Beyond runway work and brand campaigns, Montana evolved into a lifestyle influencer, building a dedicated following online. In addition to modelling, Montana Yao’s Instagram, which boasts over 125,000 followers, serves as a platform for fashion and lifestyle content. She first went viral in 2016 with a rap video. That early viral moment showed a creative, multi-dimensional personality unwilling to be boxed into any single lane.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Career
Montana’s professional identity stretches well beyond modeling. She is an entrepreneur, co-brand owner, and digital content creator. Montana Yao isn’t just known for her relationship with Malik. She’s built her identity in the modeling world, with a career that began shortly after high school.
Montana Helena Klein Yao also revealed that she was pushing to appear on the big screen as an actress. While that chapter hasn’t fully materialized yet, her continued growth as a brand and social media personality demonstrates that her ambitions extend far beyond what the public initially associated her with. She has worked with beauty brands, secured endorsement deals, and continues to expand her entrepreneurial footprint alongside her mother’s JaggerEdge venture.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Instagram
Montana maintains a strong and active presence on Instagram under the handle @montanayao. Montana Yao has a significant social media presence, particularly on Instagram, where she has amassed a following of 130K. She used to post regularly on her Instagram account, sharing glimpses of her life and professional endeavors.
Her feed blends personal moments, fashion content, family life, and candid updates — a carefully balanced mix that keeps her audience engaged. During the most difficult period of her marriage, her Instagram became a place of raw honesty, where she addressed the cheating scandal directly and later thanked supporters for standing by her.
Montana Helena Klein Yao and Malik Beasley – Wife and Relationship Timeline
American basketball shooting guard Malik Beasley and Montana Yao reportedly met in 2018 and welcomed their first child, Makai Joseph Beasley, on 16 March 2019. The couple later married on 5 March 2020, shortly after the birth of their first child.
Their relationship moved quickly and, at first, appeared to be a love story anchored in family. Malik Beasley’s story with Montana Yao began in 2018, the year the two first met. Sparks flew, and their relationship quickly grew. They kept much of their private life off social media initially, but the birth of their son and eventual marriage made them one of the more recognized couples in NBA circles.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Children
According to People Magazine, Montana, who shares two children, a son named Makai, and a daughter named Mia, with the basketball player, has filed for a divorce for the second time just before their fifth wedding anniversary.
On 11 November 2022, Malik Beasley’s wife gave birth to their second child, Mia Love Beasley. The NBA star shared the news on Instagram with a photo of him holding his newborn, captioned: “11/11 and my wish came true Mia Love Beasley – 8lbs / 19 inches.”
Both children are central to Montana’s life, and throughout the turbulence of her marriage, she consistently kept their wellbeing at the forefront of her public statements.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Divorce
The most widely covered chapter of Montana’s personal life is undoubtedly the breakdown of her marriage. Montana was blindsided after seeing Beasley holding hands with Larsa Pippen, Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife.
Montana shared her shock, “Wow… I don’t even know this man… this is wild y’all I’m seeing it for the first time just like y’all.” Days later, she filed for divorce and claimed that she along with her son were asked to leave their home.
Despite the public humiliation, the story took an unexpected turn. In May 2021, following the breakdown of his five-month relationship with Larsa, Beasley issued a grovelling apology to Montana on Instagram: “I was looking for more when it was right here the whole time.” Montana accepted the apology, withdrew the divorce petition, and the couple reconciled — going on to have their second child in 2022.
However, the reconciliation did not hold permanently. Montana Yao reportedly filed for separation from Malik Beasley in March 2025, weeks before what would have been their fifth anniversary. Weeks later, Beasley filed for divorce, according to his attorney, Steven Haney. The second filing appeared to mark the definitive end of a relationship that had survived one very public storm but could not weather a second.
Montana Helena Klein Yao Net Worth
Her net worth is $1.3 million. Montana makes her revenue off her career in modeling and others. She has made a brand for herself and the company, and brand endorsement deals have also come her way. She has worked with different beauty brands and received hefty pay.
Her income streams are diverse — spanning modeling contracts, social media brand partnerships, co-ownership of JaggerEdge, and her growing influencer platform. As her audience and business ventures continue to expand, her financial standing is expected to grow steadily alongside them.
Montana Helena Klein Yao is far more than a footnote in an NBA player’s biography. She is a self-made model, a beauty queen, an entrepreneur, a mother of two, and a woman who has faced very public personal battles with a dignity that earned her genuine public respect. Her story is still very much being written — and by all indications, the most interesting chapters may still be ahead.
