NBA star Tristan Thompson has become the temporary guardian of his younger brother Amari.
On Wednesday morning, the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles granted NBA star Tristan Thompson temporary guardianship of his 17-year-old brother. The ruling grants Thompson, 32, “all powers a parent having legal custody of a child would have,” according to People.
The NBA player’s request for guardianship follows the death of their mother, Andrea, who died in January.
The younger Thompson brother has epilepsy, in addition to other medical conditions that require around-the-clock support, which led Thompson to request guardianship.
The NBA free agent was also granted the authority to “manage ward’s finances and assets, travel with the ward within the United States of America and internationally, enroll ward in social and other extracurricular activities, decide living arrangements of the ward [and] obtain legal counsel on behalf of the ward,” per the official court documents.
This decision follows the court declaring there was both “sufficient evidence” and “good cause” for NBA star Tristan Thompson to temporarily take guardianship over Amari.
Prior to the court’s decision, Thompson requested sole legal guardianship of Amari on Sept. 8.
In court documents, Thompson claimed their father, Trevor Thompson, has been absent from his younger brother’s life since 2014. The father of four also claimed he was Amari’s closest living family member, People reports.
Per the initial Sept. 8 court documents, “Amari is a minor and has medical conditions that render him unable to take care of himself or seek gainful employment.”
The original filing continued, “Appointing a guardian for Amari would be in his best interest because it would ensure that someone would be responsible for providing and fulfilling his basic needs.”
Thompson also told the court he would like to assist his brother in managing and investing their mother’s inheritance.
Following the death of their mother, Andrea, on Jan. 5, Thompson flew with former partner, Khloé Kardashian, to Toronto to join his family. Kardashian, 39, and Tristan share a son, Tatum, 13 months, and a daughter True, 5.
Kardashian said in the season two finale of The Kardashians that her son and Amari have bonded. Khloé told her sister, Kim Kardashian, and their mother, Kris Jenner, that “[Tatum] likes Amari.”
Per the initial court documents, Amari lives with the former Cleveland Cavaliers player in Hidden Hills, California. Prior to living in Hidden Hills, the brothers stayed with Khloé after extreme weather damaged Thompson’s home.
During The Kardashians finale, Khloé explained the impromptu living arrangements to Kim, 42, and her mom.
In response to the news, the SKIMS founder said, “Isn’t God just funny? How you were so ready to have your year of like, being free, and now Tristan had to move in with you, his little brother had to move in with you [and] his roof caved in?”
Khloé replied, “God does have a plan, and God doesn’t want him to be alone right now — and why should he be?” She added, “My No. 1 slogan I always use: ‘You want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.’ ”
Following the former couple’s brief living arrangement, Khloé has confirmed they have not reconciled.