NBA Paternity Drama Over the Years: Anthony Edwards, More

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is raising eyebrows with his paternity drama — but the NBA has seen this film before.

Edwards — who has been dating Shannon Jackson since 2020 and shares a daughter with her — filed a paternity lawsuit against influencer Ayesha Howard in September 2023.

One day after Howard welcomed her daughter in October that year, Edwards filed a new motion in his initial suit, requesting that DNA testing be done by a “neutral and licensed laboratory” to determine if he is the father of her child, per documents obtained by Us Weekly.

If the test were to confirm that Edwards is in fact the father, he requested an order establishing the baby’s paternity and child support. Howard and Edwards haven’t publicly commented on the lawsuit, but Jackson spoke out, saying via an Instagram Live: “You say I’m one of God’s strongest soldiers. Put me on the front line. If I gotta un-baby daddy him then I gotta un-baby daddy the first one. Damn!” (Jackson also shares son Krue with ex Keith “Chief Keef” Cozart.)

Though Edwards is the latest basketball star whose personal drama has made headlines, he’s not the first. Keep reading for other NBA players’ paternity drama over the years:

Tristan Thompson

Maralee Nichols filed a paternity suit against Thompson in June 2021, claiming that she was pregnant with his child during his romance with Khloé Kardashian. Thompson responded in a filing of his own, acknowledging that the pair had sex in March while he was in Houston, Texas, celebrating his birthday. In the filing, he requested genetic testing for the baby, who was born in December that year.

In January 2022, Thompson confirmed via his Instagram Story that he was the father of Nichols’ baby, a son named Theo.

“I take full responsibility for my actions. Now that paternity has been established I look forward to amicably raising our son. I sincerely apologize to everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately,” he wrote at the time. “Khloé, you don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years. My actions certainly have not lined up with the way I view you. I have the utmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think. Again, I am so incredibly sorry.”

Thompson’s relationship with Kardashian ended when the lawsuit was made public. The twosome share daughter True, born April 2018, and son Tatum, born via surrogate in July 2022.

LeBron James

In 2010, D.C. lawyer Leicester Bryce Stovell filed a $4 million lawsuit claiming that he was James’ father after a one-night encounter with the NBA star’s mom, Gloria James, in 1984 when she was 15 and he was 29, according to TMZ. (Stovell claimed he didn’t know her age at the time.)

Though Stovell took a DNA test that came out negative, he accused LeBron and Gloria of rigging the results.

In 2011, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly dismissed the suit, saying that Stovell “fails to allege any facts to explain how they allegedly falsified the results.” She also said Stovell did not demonstrate how he was cheated out of money.

“Apparently Stovell believes that companies are willing to pay him for being the father of LeBron James,” she said, per the Washington Post.

Anthony Edwards

In addition to his paternity drama with Howard, Edwards is rumored to have two additional children with two other women.

In September 2023, Edwards reportedly became a dad for the first time when beauty influencer Daja welcomed daughter Aris, according to Page Six. Per Daja, her baby’s father was present for the birth but she did not reveal his identity.

According to documents filed in April 2024 and obtained by Us, Edwards accused Daja of engaging in “unsolicited harassing communication” in a legal fight over their daughter. Edwards’ attorney accused her of sending “threats” via text messages to “individuals associated” with the basketball star in a motion, which was filed 10 days before the Timberwolves’ start to the NBA playoffs.

“This attempt to sabotage the Father’s personal and professional relationships must end,” the motion stated.

In July 2024, a woman who goes by Ally D accused Edwards of being an absentee father to her son, Amir, who was born right before his and Jackson’s daughter. Edwards has not addressed the allegations.

Michael Jordan

Pamela Smith filed a paternity suit against the Chicago Bulls legend in 2013, seeking child support amid claiming that he was the father of her son, who was 16 years old at the time. Jordan denied the claims and filed a counterclaim against Smith for making false claims, per Reuters.

Smith dropped the suit one month later. Jordan’s lawyers told the publication at the time that Smith said in a previous divorce proceeding that her now-ex-husband was the father of the child.