Tristan Thompson's Basketball Career: Retirement Rumors Addressed

did tristan thompson retire from basketball

Tristan Trevor James Thompson is a Canadian professional basketball player. He was born on March 13, 1991, in Brampton, Ontario, and rose to stardom during his time at St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. Thompson played one season of college basketball for the Texas Longhorns before being drafted fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA draft. He won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016 and has also played for several other teams, including the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics. While there were reports in 2024 that Thompson was considering retirement, he re-signed with the Cavaliers that same year. However, as of 2025, he is facing a paternity lawsuit and there are allegations that he told the woman involved that he plans to retire from the NBA after the current season.

Characteristics Values
Full Name Tristan Trevor James Thompson
Date of Birth March 13, 1991
Current Team Sacramento Kings
Previous Teams Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers
College Basketball Team Texas Longhorns
NBA Draft 4th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft
Retirement Allegedly claimed to be retiring from the NBA after the current season

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Tristan Thompson's basketball career

Tristan Thompson is a Canadian professional basketball player who has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing at 6'9" and weighing 254 lbs, Thompson plays the center and power forward positions.

Born in Brampton, Ontario, Thompson attended St. Marguerite d'Youville Secondary School in Brampton for grades 9 and 10. He then attended Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey, for his sophomore year, where he made an immediate impact on the basketball team. In his junior year, he became the top recruit in the nation and verbally committed to the University of Texas at Austin, playing for the Texas Longhorns. In his lone season with the Longhorns, Thompson averaged 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, winning the team's Most Valuable Player award. He also received several national honours, including being a finalist for the Wayman Tisdale Award, given to the National Freshman of the Year.

Thompson was drafted fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA draft, becoming the highest-drafted Canadian-born player in NBA history at the time. He made his NBA debut on December 26, 2011, and played for the Cavaliers until 2021. During his time with the Cavaliers, Thompson won an NBA championship in 2016 and was an integral part of the team's success. In 2023, he signed with the Celtics, with whom he played for one season. He then signed with the Sacramento Kings in 2024, but his season was cut short due to a 25-game suspension for substance use.

Throughout his NBA career, Thompson has been known for his strong rebounding and defensive skills, as well as his ability to score efficiently around the basket. He has represented Canada in several international competitions, including the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship in 2008, where he won a bronze medal. Thompson's career has had its ups and downs, but he continues to be a valuable contributor to his team and a respected player in the NBA.

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Thompson's personal life

As of my cut-off date, there is no indication that Tristan Thompson has retired from basketball.

Tristan Thompson's Personal Life

Tristan Trevor James Thompson, born on March 13, 1991, in Brampton, Ontario, is a Canadian professional basketball player. He attended St. Marguerite d'Youville Secondary School in Brampton for grades 9 and 10. For his sophomore year, he enrolled at Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey.

Thompson's time at Saint Benedict's was marked by both success and challenges. He quickly rose to stardom, becoming the top recruit in the nation by the end of his sophomore year. However, tensions arose between Thompson and his coach, Dan Hurley, during his junior year. Their clash culminated in a heated debate during a game, resulting in Thompson's removal from the team. This incident sparked widespread interest from top prep schools across North America.

Thompson's basketball prowess earned him a spot at the University of Texas, where he played for the Texas Longhorns during the 2010-11 season. He excelled in his freshman year, averaging 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. His outstanding performance garnered recognition, including the team's Most Valuable Player award and several national honours. Despite initially planning to return for his sophomore year, Thompson ultimately changed his mind.

In the 2011 NBA draft, Thompson was selected fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming the highest-drafted Canadian-born player in NBA history at that time. He went on to play for various teams in the NBA, including the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers. Thompson also represented the Canadian national team in international competitions.

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Paternity lawsuit

Tristan Thompson, a Canadian professional basketball player, has not retired from basketball. However, his personal life has been under scrutiny since a woman named Maralee Nichols claimed he fathered her child. Nichols filed a paternity lawsuit against the NBA star in December 2021, while he was still in a relationship with Khloé Kardashian. Thompson disputed the paternity of the child, who was born on December 1, 2021, and filed a parallel paternity suit against Nichols in Texas, which was dismissed by a judge. Nichols' original lawsuit in Los Angeles is still pending, and she is suing for pregnancy-related fees and child support.

Thompson has reached a financial agreement to support his one-year-old son with Nichols, and the paternity agreement will be filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Nichols will have sole custody of the child, Theo, and there are currently no plans for Thompson to have scheduled visits. Thompson's estimated earnings during his NBA career are around $100 million, but it is known that he is not currently employed, which was taken into consideration when determining child support.

Nichols released a statement detailing her sexual relationship with Thompson, which began in 2020 when they met at a party at his home in California. Thompson, on the other hand, claimed that their relationship was "based on sex only" and that they only communicated via Snapchat. He also disputed the date of conception, claiming that the only possible date was March 13, 2021, his birthday.

This paternity lawsuit has caused a setback in Thompson's relationship with Kardashian, with whom he shares a daughter, True, born in April 2018. The pair had previously split in February 2019 after Thompson kissed Jordyn Woods but reconciled in August 2020 before ultimately calling it quits again in June 2021. Despite the breakup, they remain amicable and plan to co-parent their daughter.

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Thompson's retirement plans

As of my cut-off date, there is no evidence of Tristan Thompson retiring from basketball. However, according to court documents from a paternity case lawsuit, Thompson allegedly told Texas personal trainer Maralee Nichols, who is expecting his child, that he plans to retire from the NBA after the current basketball season. In the documents, Thompson allegedly mentioned his forthcoming retirement in a message to Nichols about her pregnancy. In the message, he stated:

> Won't be involved at all. Btw if you think having this baby is gonna make you some money. It's completely wrong. You are aware that I'm retiring after this season. So in terms of support, it will be whatever is required monthly for someone who's unemployed. It's Texas so it will be only a couple of hundred dollars. So you better off taking this 75k I'm offering cause you won't get nothing near that with having a kid with a father who's unemployed."

Thompson has denied sending this message. He currently plays for the Sacramento Kings after being traded from the Boston Celtics, and has also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers. He won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.

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Thompson's basketball statistics

Tristan Thompson is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on March 13, 1991, in Brampton, Ontario, and attended St. Marguerite d'Youville Secondary School for Grades 9 and 10. For his sophomore year, he enrolled at Saint Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey, where he began to showcase his basketball talent.

Thompson's college basketball career began with the Texas Longhorns, where he played for one season (2010-11) before being drafted into the NBA. During his time with the Longhorns, he excelled, averaging 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He also led the team in rebounding, blocked shots (86), double-doubles (10), and field goal percentage (.546). As a result of his outstanding performance, he was named the team's Most Valuable Player by his teammates and received several honours, including the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award.

In the 2011 NBA draft, Thompson was selected fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming the highest-drafted Canadian-born player in NBA history at that time. He played for the Cavaliers until 2019 and won an NBA championship with them in 2016. During his time with the Cavaliers, he averaged 1.7 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, and 8.2 minutes per game in the 2024-25 season, which were career lows.

Following his time with the Cavaliers, Thompson went on to play for several other NBA teams, including the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers. He represented Canada in various FIBA tournaments, including the 2008 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship, where they won the bronze medal, and the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, where he averaged 11.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

Frequently asked questions

Tristan Thompson has not officially retired from basketball. However, according to court documents from a paternity lawsuit, he allegedly told a woman expecting his child that he plans to retire from the NBA after the current basketball season.

Tristan Trevor James Thompson is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016 and has also played for several other NBA teams, including the Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings.

Texas personal trainer Maralee Nichols, who is expecting Tristan Thompson's child, is suing him for child support and other pregnancy-related fees. Thompson admitted to having sex with Nichols on at least one occasion but has denied sending her messages about her pregnancy and his alleged retirement.

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