By TMZ | Created at 2026-10-07 06:44:33 | Updated at 2026-10-07 08:58:00
8 hours ago
Jayson William's Estranged Wife Claims Massive Child Support Debt
Published October 6, 2026 5:30 PM PDT
Jayson Williams' estranged wife, Tanya Young Williams, claims the former NBA All-Star owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid child support ... TMZ has learned.
Tanya filed for divorce Monday in New York after 17 years of legal limbo, according to court records obtained by TMZ.
When contacted for comment, the "Basketball Wives LA" star told TMZ ... Jayson provided no financial support for their daughters from his 2010 imprisonment through his 2012 release. She says payments began only after their 2015 settlement, but stopped after two years, leaving him "hundreds of thousands of dollars in arrears."
Tanya also claims Jayson has been absent from their daughters' lives for years and refused to communicate with them despite their repeated outreach. She says attempts to resolve the matter with his team went nowhere, forcing her to seek court intervention to hold him "legally and financially accountable."
The two got married in 2000 and share two daughters, Tryumph and Whizdom Williams. Jayson's daughter called out their father in a 2022 open letter.
Tanya and Jayson's relationship became highly publicized after Jayson was charged in the 2002 shooting death of his limo driver, Costas "Gus" Christofi. Tanya stood by him during the legal battle, but their marriage eventually fell apart.
Tanya first filed for divorce in 2009, accusing Jayson of cruel treatment. She also claimed he threatened her and their daughters, abused alcohol, and had been unfaithful.
Jayson's attorney denied the allegations at the time and accused Tanya of making false claims to pressure him into a settlement. The divorce was never finalized.
Jayson later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in the limo driver shooting and served time in prison.
He played 11 seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets.
