Importance Score: 42 / 100 🔵
Anthony Edwards Settles Custody Dispute with Ayesha Howard
NBA player Anthony Edwards has reportedly conceded to Ayesha Howard’s demands regarding the custody of their child, resolving a protracted legal dispute over paternity. The news comes after months of filings and court appearances related to the parentage of their daughter.
Custody Agreement Reached
Court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Monday, April 7, reveal that Edwards, 23, informed a Georgia Superior Court of his agreement to grant Howard temporary sole physical and legal custody of their daughter, Aubri Summers, who is now six months old and was born in October 2024. In Touch initially reported this development in the case.
In her court submissions, Howard, 38, asserted that she has been the primary caregiver for Aubri since birth. Edwards has requested a court hearing in Georgia to determine his child support obligations.
Paternity Lawsuit and DNA Testing
The paternity proceedings commenced in October 2024 when Edwards initiated legal action, seeking a DNA examination from a “neutral and licensed laboratory.” This lawsuit was filed in response to Howard’s earlier petition in Los Angeles in September, where she identified Edwards as the child’s father.
Custody and Child Support Negotiations
Howard initially pursued sole custody of Aubri in March 2025 and indicated that Edwards had already undergone a DNA test in December 2024, which confirmed his paternity. She sought to have Edwards officially recognized as Aubri’s father on the birth certificate.
Edwards, a prominent player for the Minnesota Timberwolves, had previously stated in court documents submitted in 2024 that he was “not seeking child custody or visitation of Aubri,” maintaining that “the only issues to be resolved [were] financial in nature.”
Disagreements over child support have been a point of contention. Howard initially attempted to establish a support agreement in California, but Edwards successfully contested this in court, leading to the case being moved to Georgia, where the recent custody agreement was reached.
Financial Support Request
In March, Howard’s legal representative emphasized the urgency of establishing a child support arrangement, stating that their client was “currently unemployed and [relying] on savings, family support, and any assistance Edwards provides to meet the needs and care of their child.”
Howard is seeking child support payments to cover Aubri’s upbringing and education. Additionally, she is requesting reimbursement from the NBA star for “actual costs incurred for her pregnancy, delivery, and expenses after the child’s birth,” as well as coverage of her legal fees. Howard also has a son with rapper Lil Baby.
Girlfriend’s Comments on Social Media
Shannon Jackson, who has been in a relationship with Edwards since 2020 and shares a daughter, Aislynn, with him, appeared to address the ongoing paternity situation during an emotional Instagram Live session in October 2024.
Referring to herself as “God’s strongest soldier,” Jackson stated, “Put me on the front line. If I gotta un-baby daddy him then I gotta un-baby daddy the first one. Damn!” Her remarks suggested a strong reaction to the unfolding paternity developments.
“Can I say this? Y’all just finding out. For the comment that said I was hurting on the inside, pick a side, you definitely look early 30s,” she continued in her live video. “Listen, y’all be trying to make a motherf—er feel bad about if they old or not, but a lot of y’all ain’t even guaranteed till 30. Gotta make sure my man doesn’t pull up before y’all. He see me on Live because he’s gonna be like [criticizing me], ‘Why you on Live telling them people your business?’ This fake outrage you are having, pull your panties out of your bunch.” Jackson’s candid social media presence has added another layer to the public narrative surrounding Edwards and his paternity case.