Paul Pierce is taking his latest opponent to court. And this time, there is no basketball involved.
The NBA legend is fighting his ex Princess Santiago‘s request for a whopping $30K per month in child support. She is also seeking another $100K to cover legal fees.
Yes, the numbers are big enough to make even an NBA veteran double-check his calculator.
Pierce has filed court documents opposing the request. His argument? His income is expected to drop sharply this year.
Apparently, retirement has a very different fourth quarter.
Pierce spent years making serious money as an NBA star. He later stayed in the spotlight through media work and other business opportunities. But according to his court filing, his financial situation is about to change.
And he wants the court to consider that before handing out a $30K monthly bill.
In his filing, Paul points out he hasn’t played in the NBA since 2017 … and does not earn like he used to. His career earnings were over $200 million.
Paul said his income has steadily decreased, and his employment with Fox Sports 1 ended in 2021.
He said he will keep getting payments from the network until September 2026 … and then his income will be reduced by nearly one-half. He said his reported income for 2025 was $1.5 million.
For perspective, $30K every month works out to $360K a year. That is a lot of money. For most people, that is not a child support payment, that is a lottery win.
The former NBA star said he also has “substantial ongoing financial obligations,” including four other children he supports. He pays $20K per month in spousal support and another $24K per month in child support.
In his paperwork, Paul said he is willing to provide support to Princess for their newborn King Pierce. The NBA legend asked for joint legal and physical custody … while Princess asked for sole custody.
Santiago’s request has therefore become a major point of contention.
Pierce is also opposing the request for $100,000 in legal fees, because apparently, the divorce-and-child-support paperwork needs its own salary.
Paul said he has been voluntarily paying $5K a month in support. He pointed out Princess earns over $400K a year in income and does not have limited financial resources as she claims.
In his filing, Paul said Princess often texts him long messages about topics unrelated to their kid … and even harasses his girlfriend.
Paul proposes he pay around $4,145 per month in support, which is a far cry from the amount she requested per month.
He also claimed Princess’ claims about his personal life and alcohol use are nonsense. He said, “I live a quiet and stable life with my girlfriend. I do not drink to excess.”
As always, the figures being discussed are part of an ongoing legal dispute. A request is not the same as an award, and the court will ultimately decide what amount, if any, is appropriate.
Flip the pages for thirst trap photos of Princess.
