Derrick Rose is being sued by his ex, who says he drugged and gang raped her.
She is also pursuing criminal charges against him.
The judge in the civil trial initially ruled that she had to use her real name. But her lawyers are fighting back, citing the criminal case.
To bolster the argument that her name should be in the public record, Rose's legal team is now using the precedent of Tupac Shakur.
In 1993, Shakur served nine months in prison for incident in which he was accused of forcing a 19-year-old woman to perform oral sex on him and his entourage.
After he got out, the victim sued Pac in civil court. Pac's lawyers successfully argued that anonymity allowed the victim to gain a tactical advantage in the civil fight, and the judge unmasked her.
"Mr. Rose would be placed at a serious disadvantage if he were required to defend himself publicly while Ms. Doe could make her accusations from behind a cloak of anonymity," Rose's attorney told the judge, after citing the Pac case.A ruling is expected today or tomorrow.
Update: The judge has ruled Rose's accuser must use her real name in the civil trial, which begins October 4.