"He has gone to every length imaginable to avoid taking responsibility" - How the judge reacted to Paul George dodging his paternity suit - United States News Beep

While Paul George entered the league as the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, his rookie season gave few hints of the future All-Star and premier two-way force he would become, let alone a perennial MVP candidate.

By his third year, however, PG cemented himself as one of the game’s brightest young stars, leading the Indiana Pacers into back-to-back, blood-and-guts Eastern Conference finals battles against LeBron James and the “Big 3” Miami Heat.

Yet, in a span of just two summers, the superstar’s world completely imploded. First came a highly publicized 2013 pregnancy scandal with a then-stripper, followed just a year later by a horrific leg injury during a Team USA showcase. In an instant, PG’s career was put on life support.

Grueling legal warfare

But first things first. After cheating on his girlfriend at the time, who happened to be Doc Rivers’ daughter, with Daniela Rajic, a woman of Serbian descent, George initially resisted the reality until a paternity test confirmed a 99.9 percent biological match.

The casual fling was long over, and George’s focus was entirely shattered away from the court. Reports surfaced that he had allegedly offered Rajic up to $1 million to terminate the pregnancy — a claim he vehemently denied. Once it was clear the child was his, Paul aggressively pivoted, filing for sole custody, a move the mother fiercely opposed.

A toxic, grueling legal warfare ensued between the 6-foot-8 forward and Rajic.

According to reports, George didn’t even see his newborn daughter until a court hearing five months after her birth. Frustrated by the NBA star’s endless legal maneuvering to delay proceedings and transfer the case to Florida, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Matthew Cooper didn’t hold back, ripping George’s conduct to shreds.

“He has gone to every length imaginable to avoid taking responsibility for his actions,” the judge wrote.

This agonizing legal drama unfolded right as George was in Las Vegas prepping with Team USA for the 2014 FIBA World Cup, where he was slated to be a premier weapon for Mike Krzyzewski’s squad. Then, tragedy struck.

On August 1, 2014, PG lunged to contest a James Harden layup during an intra-squad scrimmage, landed awkwardly against the stanchion, and suffered a catastrophic compound fracture of both bones in his lower right leg.

Suddenly, no one was talking about his explosive dunks or lock-down defense. George’s life was fracturing both on and off the court. His basketball future hung in complete limbo while he remained locked in a bitter custody war over his daughter.

Remarkably, both storylines took a miraculous turn for the better. George defied the medical odds, making a spectacular return to the hardwood and looking every bit like his elite self, putting up 23.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals while shooting 41.8 percent across 81 games in his first full season back. It remains one of the most unbelievable injury comebacks in sports history.

Off the court, the grueling rehabilitation gave the Fresno State product plenty of time to re-evaluate his choices and rethink how he wanted to build his family. The love for his daughter ultimately forced him to find common ground with Rajic.

George married Rajic in 2022 and welcomed two more kids

Fast forward to today, and the couple has been going strong for 12 years. They got engaged in 2020, tied the knot in 2022, and have since welcomed a son and another daughter into the world. Judging by their social media, they are living their absolute best, happiest lives.

The current Philadelphia 76ers star managed to completely redeem himself after a notoriously rocky, controversial start with his future wife. Looking back, it’s clear a young, overwhelmed athlete simply had too much on his plate and handled the panic poorly, but the vital takeaway is that he ultimately chose accountability and built a beautiful life out of chaos.

Today, PG continues to excel at the highest level of the sport he loves, routinely pointing out that his family is his ultimate anchor, the very place from which he draws his deepest inspiration and competitive energy.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“He has gone to every length imaginable to avoid taking responsibility” – How the judge reacted to Paul George dodging his paternity suit

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