NBA star Tristan Thompson on Tuesday issued a public apology to ex- Khloe Kardashian after confirming that he fathered a baby boy with model Maralee Nichols. A paternity test result has revealed that Tristan fathered a child with Maralee, the former confirmed through his Instagram handle.
Taking to his IG stories, Tristan wrote, “Today, paternity test results reveal that I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols. I take full responsibility for my actions. Now that paternity has been established I look forward to amicably raising our son. I sincerely apologize to everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both privately and publicly.”
The 30-year-old athlete also apologized to his ex- Khloe Kardashian, with whom he shares 3-year-old daughter True Thompson.
“Khloe, you don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you,” he wrote. “You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years. My actions certainly have not lined up with the way I view you. I have the utmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think. Again, I am so incredibly sorry.”
Tristan acknowledged how his relationship with Nichols, hurt Kardashian, whom he was still dating when his newborn was conceived, as per Page Six. This confession comes after a headline-making legal battle with Nichols.
As Page Six previously reported, Nichols claimed in a paternity lawsuit that she and Tristan got into sexual intercourse over his 30th birthday weekend in March, which resulted in a pregnancy.
The basketball player admitted to having sexual intercourse with Nichols but denied being the father of her infant, whom she welcomed on December 1.
As per Page Six, Tristan had filed his own lawsuit against Nichols in Texas in response to her paternity suit against him in California, though it was dismissed last month.
Earlier this month, the model shared the first picture of her baby with People magazine and also opened about her with Tristan.
“Instead of focusing on any negativity, I am choosing to embrace being a mother and doing the best I can for my son. I do not want any further media attention, nor do I want a romantic relationship with Tristan. My goal is to raise our son in a safe, healthy, loving and private environment,” the model said in a statement to People magazine.
As per Page Six, Tristan had repeatedly demanded Maralee’s baby undergo a DNA test to prove he’s the father, but she stalled until recently.
Court documents also revealed last month that the basketball player used the secret Snapchat username ‘blkjesus00’ to arrange intercourse with Maralee on the social media platform.
Though Maralee has claimed that she and Tristan had a five-month affair, the latter has maintained in legal filings that the two only had intercourse once.
Page Six revealed in June that Kardashian called it quits with Tristan as the latter allegedly had slept with model Sydney Chase. The basketball player had previously cheated on Kardashian in 2018 while she was pregnant with their now-3-year-old daughter, True, and again in 2019 with Kylie Jenner’s then-BFF, Jordyn Woods.
In addition to his children with Maralee Nichols and Khloe Kardashian, Tristan Thompson is also father to 5-year-old son Prince, whom he shares with ex Jordan Craig.