Basketball hall of famer Michael Jordan asked a Georgia court on Monday to dismiss a paternity suit against him, calling it a “shameless, bad faith attempt to abuse the legal system.”
Jordan’s lawyer John Mayoue said in a document filed in Fulton County Superior Court that the six-time NBA champion is not the father of Pamela Y. Smith’s 16-year-old son. The paternity of the teen was “conclusively established” in divorce filings between Smith and her ex-husband, Jordan’s attorney wrote.
Jordan, 50, is the majority owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats. His spokeswoman Estee Portnoy released a statement to the Associated Press.
“Public records show that the paternity of the child was established in a prior case in this same court many years ago and that Michael Jordan is not the father. He also filed a counterclaim seeking sanctions for the false claims made against him. It is unfortunate that well-known figures are the target of these kind of claims. Michael Jordan will vigorously defend himself and his reputation.”
In response to Smith’s lawsuit, Jordan’s lawyer attached a 2003 divorce court filing between Smith and her then-husband Glenville G. Reynolds. The document said the marriage produced one child and listed the boy’s birth date and name. At the end of the document, there is a statement signed by Smith saying everything is “true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.”
Brooks may rejoin Rockets
A person with knowledge of negotiations said Aaron Brooks has agreed to rejoin the Houston Rockets, who drafted him in 2007.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Brooks has not yet signed a contract.
Brooks was waived by Sacramento on Friday. He would become the third point guard on Houston’s roster, joining Jeremy Lin and Patrick Beverley.
Brooks, 28, played his first four NBA seasons in Houston, averaging 12.8 points and 3.6 assists per game from 2007-11.
