Paul Pierce’s paternity battle just took a major turn after the former NBA star reportedly acknowledged he is the biological father of the infant at the center of an ongoing court case and is now seeking shared custody.
According to newly reported court filings, Pierce has asked for joint legal and physical custody of two-month-old King Rafael Santiago Pierce. The request follows a lawsuit filed in January by Los Angeles event planner Princess Santiago, who initially asked the court to order genetic testing to determine whether Pierce was the father of her then-unborn child.
The case gained attention earlier this year when Santiago also requested nearly $30,000 per month in child support, along with sole legal and physical custody. She further asked the court to require Pierce to cover $18,846, which she says represents half of her pregnancy, birth, and post-birth expenses. Santiago also sought $100,000 in legal fees.
After Pierce’s reported admission, Santiago questioned the timing of his custody request.
“For nine months, I went through this pregnancy alone — no financial support, no in-person presence from Paul,” Santiago said in a statement to TMZ. “Now that the DNA test confirms he’s the father, he’s seeking joint custody?”
She previously said she tried to resolve the matter privately before going to court. According to TMZ, Santiago said she made “multiple attempts to resolve this privately,” but decided to take legal action because “it’s about accountability and doing what’s right for my child.”
The lawsuit also referenced Pierce’s long basketball earnings to support her financial requests. Court filings allege he earned “approximately $195 million to $203 million in total NBA salary,” while also citing a past remark where Pierce said he made “enough money from endorsements that he did not have to use his NBA salary.”
No final custody or support ruling has been announced.
