Tristan Thompson confirmed he welcomed baby No. 3 with Maralee Nichols in an Instagram statement on January 3, 2022. Nichols, who gave birth to their son, Theo, on December 2, 2021, revealed they conceived during the NBA star’s 30th birthday celebrations in March of that year, during which time he was still in a relationship with Khloé Kardashian.
After their son’s arrival, Thompson submitted an emergency request for a gag order in his ongoing paternity case, which prohibits both parties from speaking publicly about the case. Thompson argued that Nichols allegedly violated a confidentiality agreement that a judge previously put in place verbally.
Nearly two weeks later, Nichols broke her silence in two different statements, her first one to E! News and her second to Us Weekly to “defend [her] character” amid the media buzz surrounding the situation.
“Over the past couple of weeks, many inaccurate and false stories have been circulated about me,” she said on December 17. “I have not at any point released — nor have I directed anyone else to release — any information regarding Tristan Thompson or any litigation involving him. I have never spoken to any media outlet, nor have I leaked any information to anyone at any time.”
On January 3, Thompson confirmed he is, indeed, the father to Nichols’ child and issued a public apology to on-again, off-again girlfriend Khloé Kardashian, who is also mother to their daughter True. The former flames are also expecting baby No. 2 via surrogate, which a rep for Khloé confirmed to Life & Style on July 13.
“Today, paternity test results revealed 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,” he wrote in an Instagram Story at the time. “I sincerely apologize to everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately.”
“Khloé, You don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years,” he revealed, adding, “My actions certainly have not lined up with the way I view you. I have the upmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think. Again, I am so incredibly sorry. ”
Learn more about Nichols and her involvement with the Sacramento Kings player, below. This is an ongoing story that will be updated as news develops.
Maralee Nichols Is a Fitness Model
In her statement with E!, Nichols clarified that she has “not worked as a personal trainer for four years” and does “fitness modeling.”
She claimed her tryst with Thompson took place in a Houston-based hotel. She has since moved to Los Angeles and is now suing the power forward for child support.
In the filing obtained by Life & Style, Thompson acknowledged that he and Nichols had sex several times at a hotel after they attended a party together for his birthday in March, claiming that was the only time they had been intimate.
On the other hand, Nichols alleged their fling started “five months” before his birthday, claiming they had trips to California.
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She Welcomed Her Child
Nichols gave birth on December 2, 2021, to their baby boy.
Maralee Nichols Was Spotted Out and About Amid the Baby Claims
As news broke of her pregnancy, Nichols was spotted out and about in L.A. in November 2021 with her baby bump on display in photos published by Daily Mail on December 3 that year. The outlet reported she was expecting a son, which turned out to be the case.
The center has been in an on-again, off-again relationship with Kardashian since they first got together in 2016. The former Revenge Body host weathered two of his cheating scandals before Nichols came forward with her paternity claims in 2021.
Following the news of Nichols and Thompson’s child, Kardashian “ feels like the biggest fool in the world when it comes to Tristan,” a source previously told In Touch.
In Touch previously confirmed in June 2021 that Kardashian and Thompson broke up again.
“Tristan will always be True’s dad, and he’s a good father to her, but he’ll never be a good partner to Khloé,” an insider told In Touch at the time. “She still held out hope, so this is yet another wakeup call, hopefully the last. Khloé will move on, but it’s bittersweet and heartbreaking.”
