Paul Pierce Admits He Fathered 2-Month-Old, Wants Joint Custody

After months of dodging it, Paul Pierce is admitting he’s got a newborn.

According to TMZ, court documents show that the Boston Celtics legend told the court the 2-month-old King Rafael Santiago Pierce is his biological son. 

Plus, he wants joint legal and physical custody of the kid, which may only ratchet up the drama with the child’s mother, Princess Santiago. Back in March, Santiago already filed for sole custody while seeking $29,811 per month in child support, $100,000 in legal fees, and nearly $19,000 in “reasonable expenses” relating to her pregnancy. 

Those aren’t arbitrary numbers, as the filing says that during his 19-year NBA career, he earned “approximately $195 million to $203 million in total NBA salary.”

She added that Paul “has publicly stated that during his NBA career he made enough money from endorsements that he did not have to use his NBA salary to pay his expenses or generous expenditures on his family, romantic partners and family.”

That filing also included her second request for Pierce to undergo genetic testing to ensure he is the biological father of the 2-month-old. 

She first announced the pregnancy with a set of baby bump photos posted on Instagram with the caption, “Blessings-No Regrets 🤍 I love my SON 📖 Isaiah 54:17.”

A week later, on Jan. 26, she hit Pierce with the paternity suit, claiming it was only because she couldn’t get a hold of him behind the scenes, and she doesn’t want to make it a spectacle.

“I filed for paternity papers after multiple attempts to resolve this privately,” Santiago said in a statement. “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.”

See social media’s reaction to Pierce’s paternity drama below.