Dwight Howard and Royce Reed's Relationship Has Always Been Turbulent

Royce Reed Accuses Dwight Howard of Abuse

Reed and Howard’s relationship has always been rocky. The two share a 15-year-old son named Braylon, but their co-parenting journey has been fraught with conflict. In 2023, Reed broke her silence after a court-imposed gag order was lifted, making accusations against Howard following a sexual assault claim filed by a Georgia man. At that time, Reed claimed Howard once told a 12-year-old that the child was “gay” for not wanting to watch explicit material with him. She also called Howard “evil” and accused him of being a deadbeat father. Now, Reed is accusing Howard of sexual and physical abuse, sharing her grievances in emotional Instagram posts. “Welp! He asked for it! I told him to leave me TF alone,” Reed wrote. She went on to claim that Howard caused her to lose jobs and that she’s done staying quiet about their history.

Reed even created a second Instagram account under the handle @ihadababybysuperman, where she released a series of videos detailing her side of the story. “I refuse to go into 2025 with this energy,” she said, adding that Howard’s actions had negatively with 16k+ followers.

The relationship between Howard and Reed began in the early 2000s. According to Reed, their story started before Howard’s NBA career took off. Despite their initial chemistry, their relationship faced challenges from the start. Reed has revealed that infidelity played a major role in their eventual split. In an interview with Carlos King, she described discovering Howard’s betrayal with one of her teammates. "I broke up with him. I wasn’t answering his calls. I was like, 'Leave me alone, I hate you," she recalled. However, after a brief reconciliation, Reed became pregnant with their son Braylon in 2007. The joy of parenthood quickly turned sour, as Reed alleged that Howard pressured her to deny their relationship and offered her money to keep quiet. Despite their split, the two attempted to maintain a co-parenting relationship for Braylon’s sake, but it was all followed by legal battles and public feuds.

The Legal Saga Between Dwight Howard and Royce Reed Is Conentious

The legal disputes between Howard and Reed have been as messy as their personal history. In 2010, Reed filed a motion requesting court supervision for Howard during visitations with their son, citing concerns over Braylon’s well-being. Howard retaliated by filing a $500 million lawsuit against Reed, accusing her of violating a gag order by leaking damaging stories about him to the media.

The lawsuit alleged that Reed’s actions caused significant harm to Howard’s reputation and demanded an eye-popping $500,500,000 in damages. The two eventually settled out of court, but the drama didn’t end there. By 2011, Howard claimed Reed still owed him over $550,000, including interest. Now, more than a decade later, Reed’s Instagram account @ihadababybysuperman has reignited their feud, with Reed accusing Howard of manipulating the narrative and using legal tactics to silence her.

In her recent social media posts, Reed accused Howard of forcing her into sexual acts she didn’t consent to, describing the experience as both mentally and physically abusive. “I was forced to do things sexually that I did not necessarily agree with. But because I wasn’t that experienced, I thought it was normal,” she shared.

Reed’s allegations extend beyond their personal relationship, as she claims Howard’s behavior has had a lasting impact on her career and emotional well-being. She emphasized her determination to share her story, regardless of potential legal repercussions.

The relationship between Dwight Howard and Royce Reed has been anything but amicable, and their ongoing disputes continue to make headlines. As Reed speaks out against Howard, the public is left to grapple with the complex and painful realities of their turbulent history.

In her most recent posts, Reed hinted at releasing text messages and emails to back her claims, writing, "Imma post the texts and emails too if you keep playing with me and calling my bluff! I know about way more than you think I do, so imma leave the initials R.E. to let you know it’s ON."

Howard, however, opted for a composed response when speaking to The Shade Room. "This is my HOF year. I’m getting married. God is amazing. And I’m so grateful, and I wish Royce nothing but the best peace and [blessings],” he said.

For fans of Basketball Wives and followers of this saga, the story of Dwight Howard and Royce Reed serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that come with navigating high-profile relationships—both on and off the court.

Basketball Wives can be streamed on Paramount Plus.