Tristan Thompson better cough up the cash. The basketball player has been ordered by the court to pay months of back child support to Maralee Nichols. Tristan and Maralee share 2-year-old son Theo, who was conceived when Tristan was expecting a child via surrogate with his ex-girlfriend Khloé Kardashian. Tristan is currently suspended for 25 NBA games, which started in January, for violating the league’s drug rules. As the news came out that he had to pay the back support, Khloé shared a cryptic message on her Instagram Stories that some would say is about her messy ex.
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Tristan has been skipping child support payments.
The U.S. Sun reported that Tristan was ordered by the Los Angeles court to pay Maralee almost $58,000 in back child support for Theo. Tristan missed the payments between September 15, 2023 and January 31, 2024. Shortly after Theo’s first birthday, TMZ reported that Tristan was ordered to pay $9,500 monthly, but that figure could have changed.
He initially denied paternity of Theo.
Maralee gave birth to Theo in December 2021, while Tristan was in a relationship with Khloé and they were expecting their son, Tatum. She filed a paternity suit against Tristan, claiming that he had gotten her pregnant during his 30th birthday weekend. At first, Tristan denied any sort of relationship with her, but eventually he confessed.
Tristan has reportedly not yet met his son.
"Today, paternity test results reveal that I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols," he wrote in a statement he shared on social media. "I take full responsibility for my actions. Now that paternity has been established I look forward to amicably raising our son."
As far as anyone knows, Tristan has yet to make good on that promise, and hasn’t even met his son.
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Did Khloé share her opinion too?
Shortly after the news of Tristan’s financial obligation came out, Khloé posted a cryptic message on her Instagram Stories.
"God is saying to you: you're not reading this by accident," she wrote. "Stop worrying about it. I made a way for you last time, and I will make a way this time, and I will surely do it again. Get up and start your day. Whatever you are worried about, I have a plan. I am bigger than your fears. I'm with you. I'm stronger than the obstacles in front of you."
Tristan also apologized to Khloé.
When it came out that Tristan had fathered Theo, he publicly apologized to Khloé, writing, "Khloé, you don’t deserve this. 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."
Tristan and Khloé broke up for good in 2021, though they continue to co-parent their two children, True and Tatum.
