NBA Star Dwight Howard's Ex Breaks Silence On Nasty Custody Battle: 'He Was Never A Great Father'

Dwight Howard's former partner, Tiffany Render, has described his parenting skills in a not-so-impressive manner.

The NBA star's baby mama condemned him for being a subpar parent and obstructing her from spending time with their child due to incessant court summons.

Tiffany Render and Dwight Howard began dating in 2008. They welcomed their daughter, Layla, in 2010 but eventually parted ways upon realizing the relationship was not working out.

Render has expressed her disappointment and anger towards Howard, accusing him of betraying their long-standing friendship. She claims he has used his financial resources to involve her in legal battles that disrupt her ability to spend time with their daughter. 

Additionally, she believes the athlete's associates have contributed to her being pushed out of his life since she began questioning his team. She further reflected on her relationship with Dwight, emphasizing that they remained close friends, along with his family and friends, even after their split. 

She believed that maintaining this friendship provided her with a sense of security. Render also revealed that Howard, even in other relationships, wanted her to move closer to him. 

In 2015, she married another man, though she noted that the basketballer's busy NBA schedule limited his visits with their daughter, as he would only see her occasionally. In her words to In Touch:

"He was never a great father. I made excuses about it to our daughter." 

Eventually, Render's marriage packed up, prompting her to relocate closer to Howard in Atlanta. At the time, in 2022, she was in a stable financial position, allowing her to rent a spacious 5,000 square-foot home outside the city.

During this period, Render mentioned that she and Howard were still "flirting," and she would often spend several days at his house. However, things turned when the NBA player asked her to leave one morning, citing plans with friends.

The following day, Render received a lawsuit from her ex, seeking to reduce his child support payments from $12,000 a month. Confused and upset, she called the basketballer to confront him. 

He claimed that the lawsuit was a mistake made by his legal team, and Render suggested they could handle the matter privately if he needed a reduction. Despite his insistence that the filing was accidental, the case proceeded in court, with Howard's lawyers initially offering her $2,000 a month in support.

Later, the athlete contacted the baby mama to propose a new offer of $3,000 a month if she agreed to move into his Georgia estate with their daughter rather than purchase the home she had considered. 

Render accepted this arrangement and moved in with Howard in 2023. Shortly thereafter, the pro basketballer left for an overseas opportunity. After three months of living in the estate, Render noted that she was taken aback when one of his employees inquired about when she planned to leave.

Render claimed she attempted to contact the athlete after his employee asked the question, but he was unreachable.

The period coincided with when Howard had custody of Layla. Render was instructed to leave right as this period began, which meant departing Dwight's home without their child. 

Seeking a fresh start, Render moved to Florida, but upon her arrival, communication with the Lakers star ceased, and he stopped providing updates about their daughter. 

When it was her turn for custody, Render disclosed that she drove to Georgia to pick up her daughter. Initially, her daughter expressed reluctance to leave as she wanted to attend an event the following week, but they eventually set off together. 

During the car ride, the daughter recorded a video of herself crying, which was later sent to her dad's team and used against Render in court. The NBA player also filed a second lawsuit seeking full custody.

He accused his ex of permitting their daughter to film for a reality show and raised concerns over inappropriate TikTok videos. Render argued that the TikTok videos were filmed at Howard's home and denied any involvement in allowing their daughter to participate in a reality show.

As stated by The Blast, the father-of-five accused his ex-partner of defaming him as their custody battle escalated. He noted that Render violated a court order by publicly criticizing him, which he claims has negatively impacted their 15-year-old daughter. 

The petitioner argued that these actions were deliberate and represent a willful contempt of court. Filed on January 8 in a Georgia court. His petition alleges that Render's disparaging remarks not only damage his reputation but also have detrimental effects on their child's well-being.

"[Tiffany] has willfully failed and refused to comply with those requirements and has continued to speak negatively, and publicly, about [Dwight] defaming his name and character and has done so in a manner in which the minor child is exposed to same," Howard's attorney explained.

In November 2024, Howard issued a subpoena to Render, seeking all communications about their daughter. The request encompassed every email and text exchanged with Layla's doctors, teachers, coaches, tutors, and youth group leaders.

Howard's legal team requested all messages from January 2024 onward, claiming that these communications were vital to their case. Additionally, the subpoena demanded that Render provide her 2023 tax return, all pay stubs from that year, and any employment records. 

Furthermore, Howard sought any evidence she intended to present against him in the ongoing custody dispute.

He was eventually awarded temporary primary custody of his daughter in January 2024. The court also halted his $3,000 monthly child support payments. In addition, Render was granted visitation rights, with the schedule determined by mutual agreement.

Will Dwight Howard and his ex, Tiffany Render, reach a compromise?