Bosh Sues to Keep Ex Off Reality Show

The Boston Celtics aren't the only opponent on Chris Bosh's mind these days. Besides defending the Celtics' Kevin Garnett, he is also trying to prevent his ex-girlfriend and mother of his young child from appearing on the third season of VH1's reality show "Basketball Wives."

The Heat forward filed suit in California District Court Monday against his ex, Allison Mathis, and Shed Media, which produces the show. Bosh's suit alleges that Mathis "is attempting to promote her own commercial brand" by exploiting her former relationship with Bosh, his status as father of their child, and his name and likeness.

Bosh also takes exception to the fact that a show called "Basketball Wives" would actually feature a basketball ex-girlfriend like Mathis, pointing out in the suit, "Though the reality show is called 'Basketball Wives' [emphasis added], the featured women on the show are not the current wives of NBA players." This gives women like Mathis with an ax to grind a "worldwide platform" to use players like Bosh "for their own commercial gain."

The lawsuit is the second phase of Bosh's effort to keep his ex off the show. According to TMZ, he earlier tried to "put the ki-Bosh" on her appearance on the show by dealing directly with the producers, but that attempt apparently failed.

Bosh is not the first NBA star to come into conflict with the show. Last year former Heat center (and current Celtic) Shaquille O'Neal sent the show's producers a letter threatening to take Shed Media to court in an attempt to stop his ex-wife Shaunie from appearing on the show.

Bosh's suit seeks an injunction against using Bosh's likeness, image or life story in the show, as well as further damages. Something tells us this conflict won't go away quietly.

The full suit is available here, via Courthouse News Service.