Tristan Thompson's 3 Brothers: All About Dishawn, Daniel and Amari

The NBA star and his siblings are continuing their late mother's legacy

Tristan Thompson holds many roles: he’s an NBA star, a dad of four and proud older brother to his three younger siblings: Dishawn, Daniel and Amari.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player is a father figure to his brothers, particularly his youngest one, Amari, who lives with epilepsy. After their mom, Andrea, died of a heart attack on Jan. 5, 2023, Tristan was granted legal guardianship over him in February 2024. Before the unexpected loss, though, the athlete always put family first.

When the Cavaliers won the NBA Championship in 2016, Tristan used the opportunity to talk up his loved ones, expressing his responsibility to take care of them.

”For me, as the older brother and kind of the pioneer of the family, I think it’s just my job to be able to provide and do whatever it takes," he said, per the NBA. "Not just for Amari, but for my other brothers just to be happy and comfortable."

Calling Amari his “motivation,” he added that he’s “blessed to have this opportunity to be a professional athlete and have the means to take care of my family, I think it’s only right.” He continued, “I take that as a great responsibility.”

Here's everything to know about Tristan Thompson’s siblings — Dishawn, Daniel and Amari — and their relationship with their athlete brother.

They grew up with hard-working parents

All four Thompson brothers were born to dad Trevor, a truck driver, and mom Andrea, a school bus driver. Speaking to the Toronto Star after Tristan was drafted to the NBA in 2011, she reflected that his work ethic was inspired by watching her and Trevor provide for the family.

“I guess he watched his mom and dad,” she said. “We work hard. In life you have to work hard to receive your blessing, everybody knows that.”

Andrea added that she “never had it easy as a child,” and Tristan intuitively knew he would need to grind to achieve his dreams.

“I didn’t have to tell Tristan anything to empower him. Tristan saw us always working hard, and he wanted to get ahead," she added.

Their mom died unexpectedly in 2023

Andrea died unexpectedly on Jan. 5, 2023, after suffering a heart attack while at her home in Toronto, Canada.

After her death, Tristan honored his mother with an emotional tribute on Instagram. "Dearest mommy in heaven, it has been one month since you've been gone. I'm in disbelief," Thompson wrote alongside a series of photos of his mom, including one featuring his brothers and another with ex Khloé Kardashian.

"All the sacrifices you did for ur sons will never go unnoticed or without appreciation," he added. "You were an amazing mommy, role model, best friend & the strongest woman I know.”

His brother Dishawn also mourned their mother on Instagram, sharing pictures of her over the years.

“Mommy was an angel on earth so i can only imagine what you are in heaven. I promise to keep your name powerful like the warrior you are,” he wrote. “Thank you for giving me my brothers Tristan, Daniel, Amari. I couldn’t ask for better brothers💙.”

His youngest brother, Amari, has epilepsy

Amari was born on July 27, 2006, and he lives with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which has left him wheelchair-bound and requiring around-the-clock support, Khloé explained on The Kardashians.

The brothers temporarily moved in with her after Tristan’s roof caved in during a bout of extreme weather. Amari spent time with his niece and nephew, True and Tatum, whom Tristan and Khloé share. She was involved in his daily care even though they are no longer romantically involved.

Tristan is Amari’s legal guardian

After Andrea’s death, Tristan became Amari’s primary caregiver. On Sept. 8, 2023, the athlete filed to become his brother’s sole legal guardian.

In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, he claimed that their father, Trevor, has been absent from Amari’s life since 2014, and he is his brother’s closest living family member with the means to provide his required care.

In February 2024, his request to have legal guardianship was granted after the court found that It would not be in Amari's best interest to return to Canada to live with his father "due to neglect, abandonment under California law."

"The Court finds that it is not in the Minor best interest to be returned to his/her parents' previous country of nationality," said court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

Now the athlete and the teenager live together in Hidden Hills, California.

Tristan is an advocate for epilepsy awareness

In honor of his brother, Tristan founded The Amari Thompson Fund in 2013 to raise support for others battling epilepsy. The foundation benefits Epilepsy Toronto, helping fund educational programs, as well as counseling and support services for children living with epilepsy and their families.

He created a video alongside his mom and Amari, in which they explain the motivation behind the cause. In the clip, he shares that “every athlete has something or someone that pushes them to go beyond their limits. For me, it’s my little brother Amari.”

In March 2022, Tristan once again shined his spotlight on epilepsy awareness, teaming up with the Epilepsy Foundation to auction off his signed Bulls jersey and pair of sneakers in a sweepstakes to raise money for the foundation, according to NBC Sports Chicago.

“My younger brother fights each and every day. Most 16-year-olds can enjoy life and have the freedom and be able to experience things with their peers. It’s harder for him,” Tristan said at the sweepstakes event.

The athlete continued, “He motivates me. Why not keep working each day? There’s no reason for me not to get up and push to be not only a better basketball player but a better human being.”

Daniel and Dishawn also played basketball

As Tristan rose to fame in his early 20s for his competence on the court, he inspired his younger brothers to do the same. Daniel won the 2015 U-11 Championship in Canada, while Dishawn acted as a combo guard for Northeast Junior College in Nebraska, according to the NBA.

Daniel has stayed largely out of the spotlight

The third of four boys, Daniel has kept his life out of the public eye. Tristan shared a rare story about his younger brother in 2020 during a Mother’s Day tribute to Andrea in a video for LeBron James‘ Uninterrupted brand.

In it, he and Andrea discussed a family moment that’s remained deeply memorable because he realized just how far their mom was willing to go for them.

He explained that Andrea was driving him to a tournament when his brother got a bit fussy. “Daniel was crying, and he wouldn't stop, so I think he was hungry,” Tristan recalled. Andrea chimed in that she began to breastfeed her younger son amidst a blizzard.

"Seeing her do that and be just a warrior and a champ and how much she was willing to sacrifice for me to get to that tournament so I could go play and do something that I love — I mean, it just shows her love and passion for her kids,” Tristan said.

Dishawn is a rapper

Four years Tristan’s junior, Dishawn was born on May 4, 1995, and is an up-and-coming rapper, who goes by the name “Young Early.”

He’s come out with several songs in the past year, releasing a track dedicated to his late mom, “Dear Momma,” two months after her passing. Dishawn also dropped a single along with a music video called “In My Ways."

Tristan has shared sweet tributes to his brother to celebrate his birthday over the years, reflecting on how quickly the time has passed.

“Feels like just yesterday you were running around the house in your diapers watching cartoons,” he wrote on Instagram for the artist's 19th birthday in 2014. “Time flies fast and you’re growing up quick. Keep working hard bro, love you."

Three years later, he posted another birthday message to his “little brother" alongside a snap of them posing together.

Dishawn is a dad

Dishawn is a father to son Elijah Amar’e Thompson, whom he welcomed with his partner Lea on March 4, 2022.

“Mom & Dad are so thankful to be able to experience every single milestone you have hit together as a family and we can’t wait to see you grow into the young king we are raising you to be,” she wrote on Instagram in celebration of their son’s first birthday.

Lea also has an older son named Jeremiah Andrew Douglas from a previous relationship.

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