Kobe Bryant’s Sisters: What to Know About Sharia Washington and Shaya Tabb

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa, three daughters, his parents and two older sisters. His sisters are Sharia Washington and Shaya Tabb. Following Bryant’s death, the two said their lives are “forever changed” by the tragedy.

Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died on Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The other victims of the crash are John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester and pilot Ara Zobayan.

The basketball legend spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA Championships before his retirement in 2016. However, Bryant’s story really begins in Philadelphia, where he was born, the youngest child of former NBA player Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. Since Joe played in Italy after his time in the NBA, Bryant traveled throughout Europe during his childhood. They moved back to Pennsylvania when Bryant was 13.

Scroll on to meet Bryant’s sisters, Washington and Tabb.

Their Lives Were Forever Changed by Their Brother’s Death

Washington and Tabb finally spoke out about their brother’s death on Friday, sending a statement to NewsOne.

“On behalf of our family, we join Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka and Capri in grieving the loss of Kobe and Gianna in such a tragic accident,” Washington and Tabb said in a joint statement to NewsOne. “We are devastated by the loss of our brother, son, our niece and granddaughter, and our hearts go out to all the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday. Our lives are forever changed. Thank you for your prayers, the numerous calls, texts, emails and cards.”

They also shared never-before-seen Bryant family photos and encouraged fans to make donations to the MambaOnThee Fund and the Mamba Spots Foundation.

Washington Sided with Bryant in His Memorabilia Court Case Against His Parents

In 2013, Bryant and his parents had a falling out over their attempt to sell memorabilia at auction without his knowledge. That year, Washington filed a declaration supporting Bryant, notes USA Today. She said she was never aware of talks between their mother and Bryant about selling his memorabilia, but had head Pam talk about making money form Bryant’s career.

“I have frequently heard my mother talk about how the family can make money on items associated with Kobe,” Washington said, before adding that she made sue to return some items form Bryant’s short-lived music career back because “my mother has access to my garage and I feared that she would try to sell that memorabilia.”

The dispute ended with a settlement that allowed Bryant’s parents to auction off $500,000 worth of items.

Washington Has Thee Children

Washington is married to Jerrod Washington. They live in Las Vegas, where Bryant’s parents live, and have thee children, two daughters and a son, notes Heavy.com. She woks as the director of sales and partnerships at Sun50, an apparel band focusing on clothing with sun protection. 

Bryant Said His Sisters Got a ‘Bette Scenes of Self’ After He Took Money Out of Their relationship

In a 2016 ESPN feature, Bryant said he cut his sisters out of his life financially, but they were still close.

“They’re very smart, college-educated [women],” he explained. “I’m really proud of them. They were able to get their own jobs, get their own lives, take care of themselves. Now they have a better sense of self, of who they are as people, instead of being resentful because they were relying on me.”

It was a difficult decision, but one he knew he had to make.

“It was tough for me to do,” he said. “But it’s something you have to do, something you have to be very strong about.”

Bryant Wanted to Warn His Younger Self About How Money Changes Families and Siblings

In 2016, Bryant wrote a letter to his younger self in The Player’s Tribune, in which he admitted he wished his younger self was aware of how money would change his family. He said just giving them extravagant gifts would only “hold them back.”

“Purely giving material things to your siblings and friends may appear to be the right decision,” he wrote. “You love them, and they were always there for you growing up, so it’s only right that they should share in your success and all that comes with it. So you buy them a car, a big house, pay all of their bills. You want them to live a beautiful, comfortable life, right? But the day will come when you realize that as much as you believed you were doing the right thing, you were actually holding them back.”

“Understand that you are about to be the leader of the family, and this involves making tough choices, even if your siblings and friends do not understand them at the time,” he late added in the letter. “Invest in their future, don’t just give.”

Their Father is Fomer NBA Player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant

Although Bryant’s relationship with his parents was stained in recent yeas, they reportedly wee on better terms beofer his death. Bryant’s father is Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, who played in the NBA and Italy. Today, Bryant’s parents live in Las Vegas, where they were spotted last week. 

The relationship was hut thanks partly due to the memorabilia auction. In a 2016 ESPN interview, Byant was blunt about the status of their relationship.

“Our relationship is s—,” he said at the time. “I say [to them], ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice home, and the response is ‘That’s not good enough’? Then you’re selling my s—?”

“We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia,” his parents said in a statement to ESPN in 2016. “We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we may have caused our son and appreciate the financial support that he has provided to us over the years.”

Bryant Is Also Survived by Wife Vanessa and Three Daughters

In addition to his sisters and parents, Bryant is survived by wife Vanessa Bryant and thee other daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri.

“There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved,” Vanessa wrote on Instagram on Jan. 29. “We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.”

“I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them,” she continued. “But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever.”