Former NBA star Paul Pierce is asking a court to reject his ex-partner Princess Santiago’s request for $30,000 a month in child support, saying his income has dropped since retiring from basketball.
According to court documents, Santiago is also requesting $100,000 to cover her legal expenses.
Pierce told the court that he retired from the NBA in 2017 and no longer earns the kind of money he made during his playing career, when he reportedly earned more than $200 million.
He explained that his income has continued to decrease over the years. Pierce also said his job with Fox Sports 1 ended in 2021, although he will keep receiving payments from the network until September 2026. He added that he earned about $1.5 million in 2025, but expects that amount to drop by nearly half after those payments end.
Pierce also said he has major financial responsibilities, including supporting four other children. According to him, he currently pays $20,000 per month in spousal support and $24,000 per month in child support.
The former Boston Celtics player said he is willing to continue supporting the couple’s newborn son, King Pierce, and is asking the court for joint legal and physical custody. However, Santiago is seeking sole custody.
Pierce told the court that he has already been voluntarily paying $5,000 per month in child support for the child
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He also challenged Santiago’s claim that she has limited income, alleging that she earns more than $400,000 a year.
In addition, Pierce accused his ex-partner of sending him repeated text messages unrelated to their child and claimed she had harassed his current girlfriend.
Pierce is asking the court to set his monthly child support payment at about $4,145, much lower than the amount Santiago is requesting.
He also denied claims about his personal life and alcohol use, saying he lives a quiet and stable life with his girlfriend and does not drink excessively.
