Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is off to a strong start this season, averaging 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists through four games. He is shooting 48.1% from the field and 40% from 3-point range.
When he’s not dropping buckets for the 3-1 T-Wolves, Edwards is making moves in a child-support dispute. He has asked a judge to place payments for his son, Amir, born in 2023, into a trust, citing his ex-partner Alexandria Desroches’ alleged frequent use of DraftKings and contrasting it with her claims that their son is not receiving adequate financial support.
Is Anthony Edwards’ Child Support to Alexandria Desroches Being Spent on Gambling?
Edwards has reportedly told a judge that he’s concerned his child support payments will be spent on sports gambling.
Court records show that a court order in August increased the monthly support amount from approximately $3,200 to $14,000.
NBA fans immediately reacted to a post by NBA Central on X, which cited an article by TMZ.
“According to the docs, Anthony was previously ordered to pay $14K a month in child support … but now says he’s worried she will use the money to gamble. He asked that a portion of the support payments be paid into a trust … and a trustee be put in place to handle distributions. In her response, Alexandria scoffed at the request, claiming Anthony has not sought parenting time with the kid, hasn’t even met him in person, and doesn’t know whether he ever sent the kid a gift,” TMZ reported according to court documents.
There were some fans who mocked Edwards’ claims about Desroches’ gambling habits.
“If I ever get hit with child support, I’m stealing this line from Ant,” one user commented on X.
Overall, netizens could understand why Edwards would want a trust to ensure the money he provides is actually going to his son, given that he has no relationship with Desroches beyond their child. Her complaints about him not wanting to see a child he doesn’t want to be present for seem delusional and calculated to garner more sympathy and money from the courts. Edwards has already said he will support his son, but he has a family of his own and does not intend to be a present father.
“I get being upset with an absent father.. but gift?! He’s paying 14k a month.. that kid can get whatever they need..,” one netizen quipped.
“He told her didn’t wanna be a dad and she kept the child for a pay check she’s also way older than him. As a woman this is literally what abortion is for and she made her choice now she has to live with it,” another netizen said, while blasting Desroches in the comments.
“It’s not like he’s trying to get out of paying for anything. He’s still paying the same amount. He just wants it to go directly to the kid, not the mom’s ‘lifestyle.’ That’s not unreasonable,” one woman commented on X.
Alexandria Desroches Admits to Small Gambling, Wants Edwards to See His Son
According to Desroches, she placed small, $10 bets out of boredom but no longer gambles. She also claimed she made a net gain of $998.20 last year and expressed other frustrations, alleging that Edwards has never met Amir or sought parenting time. However, those claims do not address Edwards’ primary concern that she could potentially gamble away money he has set aside to care for their son.
The dispute with Desroches has been ongoing. Despite receiving monthly child support, she is seeking a higher amount amid other paternity and child-support battles Edwards is facing. In August, she asked the court to increase the payments, citing the need to match Edwards’ lifestyle and her own financial circumstances. She reported earning about $1,016 a month and said she hoped to finish college to improve her ability to support Amir.
Edwards made headlines this offseason by marrying his longtime girlfriend, Shannon Jackson, on July 16. The couple share a 2-year-old daughter.
Edwards also reached a legal resolution in a Georgia child-support case involving Ayesha Howard, the mother of his daughter, Aubri’. A judge ordered him to pay $3,222 a month in child support.
Against that backdrop, the Timberwolves traded for former Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, pairing him with Edwards to form a potentially dynamic backcourt featuring the No. 1 and No. 3 overall picks in the 2020 NBA Draft.
With multiple women receiving monthly child-support payments from Edwards, along with his own family to support, keeping him on the court and financially productive is important to everyone involved. With his time stretched thin and the legal battles growing contentious, some may see his limited involvement in his son’s life as a character flaw. But one thing you don’t have to worry about is the outspoken Edwards performing poorly on the court.
