NBA star Anthony Edwards is embroiled in a legal dispute with his ex, Ayesha Howard, over the paternity of their newborn daughter. Ayesha, who gave birth in October 2024, has rushed to court to challenge the paternity lawsuit filed by Anthony in Georgia. The case has been complicated by an alleged DNA test result that confirmed Edwards as the father of the child.
According to court documents, Ayesha filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the case should be heard in California, not Georgia. Ayesha stated that she moved to California in August 2023 and has no intention of returning to Georgia. She claimed that Anthony's decision to file the suit in Georgia was a “calculated” move aimed at securing a more favourable outcome under Georgia’s child support laws.
Ayesha further argued that neither she nor Anthony has significant ties to Georgia, and therefore, the case should be heard in California. She accused Anthony of "forum-shopping," attempting to manipulate the legal process to his advantage, and criticised his actions as being in "bad faith" and in disregard of jurisdiction and fairness principles.
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The paternity suit was filed shortly after Ayesha gave birth to their daughter, with Anthony requesting a DNA test to confirm his paternity. In his initial petition, Anthony asked for a court order to establish paternity and determine the amount of child support he should pay if the test confirmed he was the father.
Ayesha, however, countered by claiming that genetic testing was done with both parties’ consent, and paternity was established around December 23, 2024. She added that her daughter has been living in California since birth, and she herself resides in Inglewood, further reinforcing her argument for California jurisdiction.
In response, Anthony pointed out that Ayesha’s business is registered in Georgia, and that she had fought two previous legal battles in Georgia courts in 2018 and 2020. He argued that Georgia was the proper venue for the case, and a judge has yet to rule on Ayesha’s motion to dismiss.
In addition to the paternity case, Anthony is in a relationship with Shannon Jackson, with whom he shares a daughter, Aislynn, born in 2024. Ayesha, meanwhile, has a son, Jason, with her ex, rapper Lil Baby. Edwards has also been linked to a son, Amir, from another relationship with a woman named "Ally."
Anthony, who signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2023, continues to be in the spotlight amid this ongoing legal drama. This case follows a similar paternity dispute between NBA star Tristan Thompson and Maralee Nichols in 2021, which also centred on a jurisdictional battle for the location of their case.
As of now, the paternity case between Anthony Edwards and Ayesha Howard remains unresolved, with the court yet to make a ruling on Ayesha’s motion to dismiss.
