Tristan Thompson has released a statement apologising to Khloe Kardashian after it was revealed that he fathered a child with another woman.
In a statement shared on his Instagram Story, the NBA player said he was “so incredibly sorry” for causing her “heartache and humiliation”.
The NBA star, who shares 3-year-old daughter True with the Kardashian reality star, wrote: “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 continued.
“I sincerely apologise to everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately.”
Addressing his ex-girlfriend directly, Tristan wrote: “Khloe, you don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation my actions have caused you.”
“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,” he added.
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This statement marks the first time the Sacramento Kings player has publicly acknowledged his third child.
Thompson shares three-year-old True with Khloe Kardashian, five-year-old son with Jordan Craig and now a newborn baby boy with Maralee Nichols.
Maralee, who gave birth to their son on December 1, has been speaking openly about her struggles with Tristan acknowledging the paternity of the child.
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Nichols has said the child was conceived while celebrating Tristan's birthday in Houston in March 2021, whilst Thompson was allegedly still in a relationship with Khloe Kardashian.
Recently, Maralee gave a statement to ENews! regarding paternity and said that she had to speak out to defend herself.
"Over the past couple of weeks, many inaccurate and false stories have been circulated about me. 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. I am providing this statement because I feel I must defend my character."
"I have seen fake stories, unflattering photos of me, people using photos that are not even me, stating an incorrect occupation and age," Nichols continues. "There have been multiple fake Instagram posts claiming to be me, making false statements and attaching stock photos of a sonogram and a child (neither mine)."
Nichols goes on to speak her truth. "These are the facts: I have lived in California since 2019. I am not a personal trainer. I have not worked as a personal trainer for four years; I do fitness modeling. I was never a personal trainer for Tristan," she states, adding that she met Thompson at a party at his Encino, Calif., home in 2020. "He told me he was single and co-parenting. I would never have gotten involved with Tristan if I thought he was in a relationship."
"I saw Tristan in March 2021 around his birthday. He told me he had wanted to see me," she tells E! News. "I agreed to meet him in Houston at a private party on March 12. I never drove a Maserati to meet Tristan, as he claimed. He has never even been in my vehicle. I used an Uber or was driven by friends that weekend. Houston was one of many nights we spent together. Soon after his birthday weekend in Houston, Tristan invited me to visit him in Boston."
Nichols tells E! News she learned she was pregnant a few weeks after her trip to Boston to see Thompson. According to her, she told Thompson about her pregnancy in North Carolina after he invited her to see him at the end of April.
In court documents previously obtained by E! News, Thompson stated, "The only time that I had sexual intercourse with [Maralee] in 2021 was in March 2021 in Houston, Texas. I specifically remember having sexual intercourse with [her] in March because it was my birthday. [She] and I attended a party together at a hotel in Houston. [She] had called me and wanted to be with me on my birthday."
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In her statement to E! News, Nichols states she did "everything possible" not to draw attention to herself throughout her pregnancy. "Tristan filed a paternity action in Texas after I filed my paternity action in Los Angeles," she notes. "I did not file any request for child support before our child was born. The case that Tristan brought against me was dismissed on December 15, 2021."
"I was induced on November 29, 2021 because I had a placenta abnormality," she shares with E! News. "There is no other medical reason why I needed to be induced. I gave birth on December 1, 2021. 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."
