On Thursday, NBA good guy and Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady was ordered to pay a Bradenton, Florida woman $54,156 a year in child support for their daughter, as well as provide health insurance and school tuition. Pearl Vega gave birth to McGrady’s child in November 2005. McGrady married his girlfriend of 10 years the following year, and they have two children together. This paternity suit was subsequently filed in Sarasota County, Florida.

Vega made approximately $33,000 in 2005. She had requested child support of $204,000 a year, arguing that such an amount would be in line with McGrady’s $21.6 million annual income and would give their child a lifestyle more like that of McGrady and his other children. During the two day trial this week, testimony detailed that lavish lifestyle. McGrady, his wife and other children live in a six-bedroom, 23,000-square-foot house with a pool outside Houston, spending almost $7,000 per month on a chef and housekeeper.

The McGradys gave one of the other kids a $16,000 birthday party and spend about $45,000 per month for personal travel, visiting New York, North Carolina, Florida, Atlanta, California, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Rio de Janeiro. The other McGrady children reportedly stay in five star luxury hotels, have private preschool and tutors, and receive thousands of dollars of new clothes every month.
McGrady’s attorneys argued that child support should be determined based upon the reasonable needs of the minor child and not the mother’s desire for a high lifestyle. Ultimately, the judge ruled that Vega had overstated the child’s needs and has “used child support to enhance her personal lifestyle and that of her other two children.” (On a similar note: New York courts basically told Shaniqua Tomkins, mother of rapper 50 Cent’s son, the same thing – the father’s income and the ultimate child support award in that case were very similar to the McGrady case. Check out our April 4, 2008 story on that case for details.)

“It is inappropriate for Ms. Vega to use child support as a means to further her education when she chooses to attend college as a full-time student and expects Mr. McGrady to pay for tuition, a full-time nanny and other domestic help,” Judge Donna Berlin wrote in her decision.

Vega’s attorneys have already indicated that they will appeal the ruling.

Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Also See:

• Paternity Suits and Pro Athletes: The List