Former NBA Player Jason Caffey Charged in Child-Support Case

Another sign that life after an NBA career is often a struggle: Former NBA player Jason Caffey has now been accused of failing to pay over $200,000 in child support and legal feels to Lorunda Brown and her attorney. Lorunda is one of an octet - Jason has seven other women and ten children among them. Brown is the mother of their six year old son.

After retiring from the NBA, Caffey has tried to reduce the child support payments by filing a bankruptcy case, but last October a judge rejected his case. So now Caffey will likely be sued for child support.

Caffey was an NBA player for nine years, and joined three teams - the Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, and Milwaukee Bucks. He had a decent but not spectacular career, being an effective power forward with the Warriors for a few years.

Jason is hardly the only former professional athlete to be faced with economic hardships and child-support issues. A recurring pattern among pro athletes is overspending and underestimating just how fickle a pro sports career is. It becomes very difficult for some of them to recover financially from the lifestyle they once had once they lose the amazing salary. After making five-figures each game, they may be forced to adapt to five-figures each year. The debt can accumulate quickly and they may find it very hard to keep up with all the bills. Divorces and paternity suits can quickly empty out their bank accounts.

Ralph Sampson, a former towering center who was a top pick and combined with Hakeem Olajuwon to make the "Twin Towers, also was involved with child-support woes two years ago. He was charged with lying about his dough to get court-appointed counsel in a federal child-support case. The 7'4" former NBA star had failed to pay over $300,000 in child support to two daughters by different mothers. Well, two seems a lot more manageable than eight.

The former New Orleans' Saints top pick and NFL rushing champion Ricky Williams also paid out big bucks for a paternity suit settled with a former South Florida woman now residing in Hawaii. He agreed to establish a $300,000 trust fund and pay $4,200 per month in child support. Williams quit the Miami Dolphins in 2005 amid drug trouble. To Ricky Williams' credit, he has managed to turn things around and is now back in the NFL, and has improved his situation.

The child-support issue spans all sports, as evidenced by Troy Neel, a former Major League Baseball player. The 43-year-old recently pleaded not guilty to a child support default of $725,000. It may have been precipitated earlier, when he had a messy divorce and afterwards was ordered to pay $5,000 a month in child support for his two children. But Neel apparently fled the whole scene and responsibility, playing pro baseball in Japan and then afterwards buying a resort on the tiny island of the Republic of Vanuatu where he stayed for eight years. Sounds a bit like escapism but you can decide. The sordid saga came to an end last month in Los Angeles, when he was arrested. He now faces up to two years in the penitentiary and a $250,000 fine.

The Associated Press, Former MLB Player Arrested For $725,000 In Unpaid Child Support , WITN.com

The Associated Press, 10 Kids 8 Women Later: Jason Caffey's Child Support Woes at The Insider, the Insider

Chicago Tribune, Francis wins back crowd., Chicago Tribune Web Edition

Associated Press. Ricky Williams to pay $4,200 per month for child support - NFL - ESPN , ESPN NFL