Horace Grant, the four-time NBA champion best known for anchoring the Chicago Bulls’ defense alongside Michael Jordan, has opened up about a financial and legal battle that he says nearly destroyed his retirement. In an appearance on the “Child Support is Fraud” podcast, the 17-year NBA veteran revealed how a legal maneuver involving his pension blindsided him, even years after his playing days ended.
"This is what the child support agency tried to do to me. It's called a QDRO, Qualified Domestic Relations Order. They went after my pension."
"Here’s the kicker. Here’s the kicker. If they don’t have a signed affidavit by a judge in one hundred eighty days, the QDRO is void. Here’s the catch. One hundred eighty days passed. No judge sign. They didn’t have anything."
"Next thing you know, two weeks later, there’s a judge sign and we’ve got to keep it frozen. Guys, take a guess who was that judge. Her name is Erin M. Childs. Was in my divorce. She was the fake judge in my divorce."
Grant, who earned nearly $68 million during his NBA career and averaged 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, shared that his retirement funds were frozen due to what he describes as an improper legal order known as a QDRO, Qualified Domestic Relations Order.
These orders are commonly used in divorce proceedings or child support enforcement to divide retirement plans. But according to Grant, the agency overstepped the legal deadline.
The judge who signed the order, according to Grant, was Erin M. Childs, a judicial officer who was involved in his earlier divorce. Grant claimed she was a “fake judge,” though this assertion appears to stem more from the podcast’s host, Lionel “TJ” Tillman, than established legal fact.
Tillman, who champions the controversial belief that child support is legally fraudulent, regularly uses the term “fake judge” to describe family court officers presiding over administrative hearings.
Grant didn’t specify which of his children or former partners this dispute involved.
Over the years, his personal life has included two marriages, a child support battle with a woman named Ann Gore, and fathering eight children with three different women. Though many of those children are now adults, Grant implied that the financial strain from past child support obligations continues to echo into his retirement.
The former power forward, who played for the Bulls, Magic, Lakers, and SuperSonics, didn’t just shine on the court with nearly 13,000 career points and 9,443 rebounds, he also faced off-court challenges that highlight a recurring pattern in pro sports: athletes earning millions, only to later be hampered by complex financial, legal, and personal circumstances.
Whether or not the judge’s signature violated a legal deadline is something that has yet to be independently confirmed.
However, Grant’s emotional testimony adds to a growing chorus of athletes who’ve claimed their fortunes were reduced or drained by child support rulings. NBA names like Dennis Rodman and Latrell Sprewell have made similar complaints in the past.
Grant’s story is a cautionary tale not only about the legal system but also about the importance of managing personal affairs and finances after retirement. For many former stars, the hardest battles begin after the final buzzer sounds.
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