Off-court drama. Tristan Thompson‘s personal life got a lot more complicated in 2021 when a woman named Maralee Nichols claimed he fathered her child.
News broke in December 2021 that the personal trainer filed a paternity lawsuit against the NBA star earlier in the year. The baby was reportedly conceived in Houston, Texas, in March while Thompson was in town celebrating his 30th birthday.
At the time, the Canadian athlete was still in a relationship with Khloé Kardashian, with whom he shares daughter True, born in April 2018. Thompson and the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum began dating in September 2016, but the duo split up in February 2019 after the Sacramento Kings player kissed Jordyn Woods. After reconciling in August 2020, the pair called it quits a second time in June 2021.
“They remain amicable toward each other and will continue to coparent,” a source told Us at the time, adding that “there was no drama” between the twosome before their breakup. “Things just didn’t work out.”
After their split, the Good American founder and the former Cleveland Cavaliers team member remained amicable, but an insider told Us that Nichols’ lawsuit caused a huge setback in their relationship.
“This is a very sad time for Khloé,” the source explained in December 2021. “She really loves Tristan and still held a candle for him. She thought he might have changed his ways.”
Before their split, the twosome were considering having a second child together. (Thompson is also father to son Prince, born in December 2016, with ex-girlfriend Jordan Craig.) During season 20 of KUWTK, the Strong Looks Better Naked author revealed that she and her then-boyfriend were considering surrogacy.
“[My doctor] said that I would be, like, a high-risk carrier for a pregnancy,” Kardashian said in an episode that aired in March 2021. “I’m not gonna get into specifics on camera, but they said it’s an 80 percent chance I’ll miscarry. I almost miscarried with True at the beginning. But I didn’t know that was a lingering thing. … She said she would feel terrible putting [an embryo] in without warning me that most likely I wouldn’t be able to carry.”
Seven months later, the reality star said again that she still hadn’t ruled out having another baby. “I want her to have a sibling,” the former Revenge Body host tweeted in October 2021. “If it’s God’s plan.”
Thompson confirmed he is the father via an Instagram Story posted on January 3.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about the paternity suit against Thompson:
This story was originally published on December 6, 2021, and last updated on June 17, 2022.