After spending many years in the United States playing basketball, Tristan Thompson has officially become a U.S. citizen.
The newest member of the NBA’s Celtics franchise took the official oath earlier this week ahead of a trip to Boston to get ready for the next season.
Thompson’s citizenship arrives as rumors circulate involving him and Khloe Kardashian’s relationship regarding just how serious they might be getting.
Tristan Thompson becomes U.S. Citizen
On Tuesday of this past week, 29-year-old Tristan Thompson gave the Oath of Allegiance, which officially gave him U.S. Citizenship.
He was born in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, before coming to the United States to play basketball. Tristan played for Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School in New Jersey and then Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada, in his junior year. He’d eventually become a top recruit for Rick Barnes and the University of Texas. Thompson played for the Longhorns in the 2011-11 NCAA season.
Due to his abilities as a power forward and center, he chose to forgo his final three years of college eligibility. He entered the NBA Draft in 2011, where he became the No. 4 pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tristan’s been playing with the Cavs ever since and was part of the NBA Championship team in 2015-16, but he hasn’t been a citizen of the United States- until now.
On November 24, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Twitter shared a photo showing the NBA big man delivering the oath as he wore a mask for COVID-19 safety.
“I came to the US on a student visa and have always had big dreams. I’m now truly living the American dream,” Thompson was quoted as saying via a tweet from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“I came to the US on a student visa and have always had big dreams. I’m now truly living the American dream.” Congrats on reaching your goals @RealTristan13! Best of luck with the @NBA #Celtics as a #NewUSCitizen! pic.twitter.com/kr9drxTco7
— USCIS Media – Western Region (@USCISMediaWest) November 24, 2020
Thompson heads for Boston for NBA season
Based on reports and his Instagram post (below), Thompson gained his U.S. citizenship before taking off for Boston. He recently signed a new two-year deal to play with the Boston Celtics for $19 million, ending his time with the Cavs after nine seasons.
The NBA Finals just ended in October since the league had to suspend the season this past March due to several players contracting COVID-19. The league was able to restart with a bubble site in Florida involving only teams contending for the playoffs, which meant Thompson and the Cavs weren’t involved. That gave him a good bit of time off.
However, his new team was amongst playoff contenders, and now he’ll join a squad that many fans and analysts feel is amongst the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics feature All-Star players Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum, who are certainly looking forward to having an experienced big man like Thompson on their side.
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Thompson averaged 12 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game last season. His career averages include 9.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and one assist with a field goal percentage over 51 percent.
Recent speculation arrived from another source to suggest that Khloe Kardashian and Tristan will get married in early 2021. That remains to be seen as Thompson should be busy with the NBA in the coming months.
The NBA season is set to begin on December 22, with team training camps expected to begin on December 1. There will also be a handful of preseason games ahead of the regular season.
While it’s been rumored via a source that Khloe Kardashian won’t be moving to Boston to be with Tristan, she’s likely to travel with their two-year-old daughter, True, to see him play now and then. She may also get to see him play a few times during the season in Los Angeles, depending on if the Celtics take on the Clippers or Lakers.
So Thompson now has his U.S. Citizenship, a sweet deal with the Celtics, and a relationship that seems to be back on track. He truly is living a version of the American dream!
Keeping Up With the Kardashians returns to E! in 2021.