Dwyane Wade insists it’s in his daughter’s "best interest" to legally change her name and gender.
The 40-year-old former NBA star has hit back at his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches, who has objected to 15-year-old Zaya having her name and gender changed.
In court documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight, he says: “While it certainly would have been preferable for Zaya’s mother to be supportive of this important part of Zaya’s journey, Zaya should not be forced to put her life on hold while she waits for Siohvaughn to acknowledge and accept her truth.”
Funches – who was married to the sports icon between 2002 and 2010 – filed the petition in August.
But Wade has insisted the move is “not about Siohvaughn or Dwyane or their prior marriage, it is about what Zaya wants and what is in her best interest”.
Wade – who is married to actress Gabrielle Union – has been accused by his ex-wife of “pressuring” Zaya.
But Wade has rubbished those accusations.
He said: “Zaya has identified as Zaya since she was 12 years old, and she now wants to legally and officially affirm her identity.”
Earlier this month, Wade took to social media to rubbish Funches’s claims about their daughter.
The former NBA champion – who was awarded sole custody of Zaya in 2011 – disputed the idea that he was trying to exploit her.
Wade – who also has Zaire, 20, with his ex-wife, as well as Xavier, nine, with Aja Metoyer and Kaavia, four, with Gabrielle – said on Instagram that Funches, “tried a similar attempt over a decade ago (with equally damaging lies and causing irreparable harm to her children) and 13 lawyers later, I was awarded sole custody of our two kids as an active NBA player”.