Hall of Famer Paul Pierce secured generational wealth during his 19-year NBA career, and he might soon have to fork out a pretty penny after being hit with a lawsuit. Event director/producer Princess Santiago filed a paternity lawsuit against Pierce back on Jan. 12, and TMZ has now shared a notable development in this case.
“In court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, Princess Santiago claims Paul is the father of her newborn and is asking the judge to award her sole legal and physical custody, monthly child support in the amount of $29,811, and another $100K for her legal bills. She is also again requesting genetic testing to confirm that Paul is, in fact, the daddy.”
To go with all of this, Santiago is also asking for half of all “reasonable expenses” she incurred during pregnancy, birth, and post-birth. That amounts to $18,846.
Santiago also brought up Pierce’s comments in the past about how he made enough money from endorsements that he did not have to use his NBA salary to pay his expenses or those of his close ones. The point could well have been brought up with child support in mind.
Pierce retired in 2017 and no longer appears to have a deal with a major sports network either. The 48-year-old was fired by ESPN in 2021, and Fox Sports canceled his “Speak” debate show in 2025.
Pierce appears on a couple of podcasts nowadays (No Fouls Given and The Ticket And The Truth), and that’s about it. Santiago is highlighting, though, that he isn’t short of funds in any way. According to Spotrac, Pierce made $203 million in salaries in the NBA. It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds.
At the time Santiago filed the paternity lawsuit in January, she had also claimed that she had tried to resolve this matter privately.
“I filed for paternity papers after multiple attempts to resolve this privately,” Santiago said. “Paul Pierce is the father of my son, King, and I am simply asking for a paternity test so the truth can be confirmed.”
“This isn’t about drama or attention — it’s about accountability and doing what’s right for my child.”
Nearly three months have now passed without any tests being taken. Santiago’s son, King, wasn’t born at the time of the filing. She appears to have given birth to him in February.
If Pierce is indeed the father, this would be his fourth child. He has three children with his ex-wife, Julie Landrum.
Pierce and Landrum had started dating during All-Star weekend in 2006 and then got married in 2010. During their time together, they welcomed two daughters, Prianna Lee Pierce (2008) and Adrian Tanya Pierce (2011), and a son, Prince Paul Pierce (2013). Pierce and Landrum would, unfortunately, get a divorce in 2023, and the reasons behind the split remain unclear.
