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NBA player Tristan Thompson has begun 2022 with a public apology to Khloe Kardashian via his personal Instagram account. Thompson, 30, shared the results of a recent paternity test which confirmed he had fathered a child with Maralee Nichols, a 31-year-old fitness instructor in 2021.
Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian's relationship has been in and out of the media spotlight for years, after allegations, including footage and images of Thompson, reportedly cheating on Kardashian surfaced. This included his kiss with Khloe's younger half-sister, Kylie Jenner's former best friend, Jordyn Woods. Woods confirmed their kiss happened during her appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk.
The ups and downs of their relationship have also featured on the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which aired its finale on E! in June 2020.
In his recent Instagram-story apology, Thompson vowed to take "full responsibility" for his son with Nichols and plans to raise their child "amicably". He also stated he has the "utmost respect and love" for Kardashian.
Newsweek has the full apology Thompson made to Khloe below.
"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 publicly and privately.
"Khloe, you don't deserve this. You don't deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don't deserve the way I've 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."
Kardashian and Nichols have yet to respond publicly to Thompson's post. Newsweek has contacted Kardashian and Nichols' representatives for comment.
Meanwhile on Christmas Day, Nichols posted a photo of her son wearing a red Christmas outfit that had "my first Christmas" embroidered on the back. She also shared some snaps of her baby bump in early December but has not yet shared any other details about her pregnancy.
Speculation Thompson was the father of Nichol's baby surfaced in early December when court records, obtained by US Weekly,showed Nichols had sued Thompson for child support and pregnancy-related fees in June 2021
In a declaration, obtained by the Daily Mail, Thompson acknowledged having sex with Nichols several times in March 2021.
At the time of Nichols and Thompson's sexual relationship, it is unclear if Kardashian and Thompson were still dating.
Kardashian and Thompson first split in February 2019 after Thompson's first cheating scandal but they reconciled in 2020. However, according to several reports, they officially split for good in June 2021.
How Many Children Does Tristan Thompson Have?
In total, Thompson has three children, each from separate relationships.
He shares his first child, Prince, with his ex-girlfriend Jordan Craig. The pair dated for around two years, splitting in 2016 before the birth of their son.
In April 2018 after almost two years of dating, he and Kardashian welcomed their daughter True.
Speaking on the basketball podcast Road Trippin in May 2018, Thompson reflected on the differences between raising his first-born son Prince and his daughter True.
He said: "I think with a girl, you're just so much more emotionally like... with a boy, it's just like, 'Hey man, you'll be all right man. Stop crying'.
"But [with True], it's like, 'True, it's gonna be okay. You know, we're right here. Daddy's here to feed you. It's me! Look, yeah!' It's way different, but it's fun, though. It changes you."
About the writer
Molli Mitchell is a Senior SEO TV and Film Newsweek Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on ... Read more