Tristan Thompson and Maralee Nickels Shutterstock; Courtesy Maralee Nichols/Instagram
Pressing pause. Tristan Thompson Maralee NicholsSources tell us that the parents appear to be at an impasse in relation to child support. Us Weekly.
“Tristan keeps delaying court appearances,” the insider says. “And has been doing everything he can to avoid a face-off with Maralee in court.”
The 31-year-old NBA player “just wants this to quietly go away and for it to be resolved without him having to pay a lot in child support,” the source adds.
After she claimed that he had fathered her child, Nichols, 31, sued Thompson of the Chicago Bulls for child support. Thompson confirmed paternity in January, but has yet to settle the legal issue.
“It’s still an ongoing case,” the insider explains, noting, “The attorneys from both sides are handling the matter privately.”
Thompson’s paternity lawsuit and child support case in Texas was dismissed in December 2021, but a judge ruled that the California case would move forward. Nichols filed new paperwork in March asking for financial assistance for their baby boy, Theo. This is what the estranged couple are trying finalize.
The former Cleveland Cavaliers player’s attorney filed court documents in March saying he was “unavailable for a future court date,” a second source tells Use.
Earlier this month, Thompson’s legal team again filed a motion with the court, claiming, “They were also unable to make a proposed court date, pushing matters back further.” Per the insider, “Everything is therefore still in limbo.”
The Canadian athlete made headlines in December 2021 when news broke of Nichols’ paternity suit, which she filed in June of that year. Thompson initially confessed to having sex with the California resident but wouldn’t confirm whether he fathered her son.
Thompson apologized publicly to his ex-girlfriend after he announced the paternity news on January 1. Khloé KardashianHe was dating at the time of conception, a woman named Alicia. The couple split in late 2021. Reality star, 37 years old, shared her shock at hearing the news in Thursday’s episode of The Kardashians.
“I am not sure that there is one thing that hurts more than the other in a situation like this. Every act of betrayal is a lie. Everything is a lie. Everything is manipulation [and] it is deceit,” the former Revenge BodyDuring a confessional interview, host explained. “Did Tristan have every opportunity to tell me? Yes. Was Tristan going to tell me if there wasn’t a baby involved? No. This speaks volumes about his character. The entire thing is despicable.”
Despite feeling blindsided by the scandal, Kardashian has chosen to take the high road when it comes to raising her and Thompson’s 4-year-old daughter, True.
“Khloé doesn’t trash talk Tristan in front of True,” a source told Useearlier in the month. “She does her best to shield her from all the negative stories about him. At the end of the day, he’s still True’s father and she wants True to have a loving relationship with him.”
Thompson is also the father to 5-year-old Prince, a child of a relationship with Jordan CraigHe spends time spending time with his son. The athlete, however, doesn’t appear to be focused on creating a bond with his and Nichols’ son.
“Tristan is very absent from Theo’s life,” a separate source told UseFriday, June 17, 2007. “He hasn’t met Theo nor has he initiated any meetings.”
Diana Cooper reporting
