Former NBA champion Paul Pierce is facing a new legal matter after a Los Angeles-based event planner filed a paternity lawsuit claiming he is the father of her unborn child.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ Sports, Princess Santiago filed the suit on January 12, seeking a court order requiring genetic testing to determine whether Pierce is the biological father.
Santiago, who works as an event director in Los Angeles, alleges the child is due soon and says she attempted to resolve the issue privately before turning to the court.
“I filed for paternity papers after multiple attempts to resolve this privately,” Santiago said in a statement shared with TMZ. “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.”
Pierce, 48, has not publicly responded to the filing. His attorney declined to comment when contacted.
As of now, no hearing date has been scheduled in the paternity case, and the court has not yet ruled on Santiago’s request for genetic testing.
The lawsuit comes during a turbulent period in Pierce’s post-retirement life. In October 2024, the longtime Boston Celtics star was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Prosecutors later charged him after alleging his blood alcohol concentration exceeded the legal limit. Pierce pleaded not guilty and pushed back publicly, suggesting the incident stemmed from exhaustion and traffic delays rather than alcohol use.
Beyond that case, Pierce has also faced legal scrutiny related to his business ventures. In 2022, he was named in a class-action lawsuit connected to cryptocurrency company EthereumMax, which faced allegations of misleading investors. The suit was dismissed later that year.
Pierce retired from the NBA in 2017 after a decorated career that included a 2008 championship with the Celtics and 10 All-Star selections. He briefly transitioned into sports media but was let go from multiple broadcasting roles following a controversial social media livestream in 2021.
Since then, he has remained visible in basketball circles through podcast appearances and league commentary.
Pierce was previously married to Julie Landrum Pierce, with whom he shares three children. The couple separated in 2023 after more than a decade of marriage.