The Sacramento Kings player had nearly 100 roses delivered to his daughter when he picked her up from dance class, hours before revealing the result of paternity test on Maralee Nichols' son.
- Jan 5, 2022
AceShowbiz - Tristan Thompson was playing a doting a father to his daughter True Thompson, just hours before he publicly apologized to his ex and baby mama Khloe Kardashian for cheating on her. The basketballer reportedly gave his 3-year-old daughter, whom he shares with the reality TV star, dozens of roses before he released a statement confirming he's the father of Maralee Nichols' son.
In a video obtained by TMZ, the Canadian-born athlete was seen picking up his daughter from gymnastics on Monday, January 3. The NBA star sat in a waiting SUV before a man approached the car with a bouquet of roses, which were reportedly close to 100.
According to the site, the man brought the flowers from inside the class and they were for True. The Sacramento Kings player later stepped out of the car, possibly to pick up True. Dressing in a black jacket and matching sweatpants, he didn't forget to put on a face mask before heading inside.
Just hours after the sighting, Tristan released a statement in which he revealed the result of the paternity test on Maralee's newborn baby boy. "Today, paternity test results reveal that I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols," he began his statement. "I take full responsibility for my actions."
The 30-year-old vowed, "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."
Tristan then publicly apologized to Khloe, whom he was dating when he had an affair with Maralee. "Khloe, you don't deserve this," he wrote. "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."
"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," he continued expressing his regret, before concluding his lengthy note, "Again, I am so incredibly sorry."
Maralee later responded to Tristan's statement. "There was never any doubt that Tristan Thompson was the father of Maralee Nichols' baby," the fitness model said through her representative. "Tristan made numerous false and defamatory statements and declarations about Maralee over the past few months, and she is taking his contrite statement today in the context of all of those statements."
Khloe has not responded to the paternity test result, but a source tells PEOPLE of the Good American founder, "She wants the new year to be different. She wants to focus on her own happiness."
The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" alum is likely not going to rush into a new relationship as she "can't imagine dating right now." The source adds, "But her family knows that she will meet the right guy when she is ready."
"It's hard for her family when she is upset," the source continues of how they reacted to the news. "They love her so much. Khloe is such a strong person though. She has already moved on after finding out that Tristan was expecting another baby."
