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The Bryant ladies are coming together for a special someone. Kobe Bryant’s niece, Tayah, is celebrating her 26th revolution around the sun on January 5. After an eventful 2024 for the family where two of three statues dedicated to the NBA legend were unveiled and his father, Joe Bryant, passed away, Tayah’s birthday adds a twinge of sweetness to the family’s 2025 beginnings. Not only is Kobe’s sister pouring out her overwhelming feelings for her daughter, Aunt Vanessa and Tayah’s cousins have sweet words for her.

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Sharia Bryant Washington, Kobe’s sister, compiled several pictures of Tayah from childhood to a 26-year-old young lady in one adorable photo dump. “Tayah, 26 years ago you made us parents. 👶🏽Thank you for being you and for making it look like we knew what we were doing 😉😄 We love you! Happy 26th birthday! 🎂 🍾🥳🥰,” Sharia dedicated to her daughter.

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Vanessa Bryant kept it simple and cute, throwing it back to when her eldest daughter, Natalia and Tayah were fun-sized. “Happy birthday, Tayah! We love you Tay-Tay. 😘❤️ 2005,” Vanessa wrote with a clear indication of the era to explain her clunky jewellery and MTV-bred fashion.

For Natalia Bryant, it was a dual celebration. She just went viral for her outfit at her best friend, JoJo’s birthday. But she didn’t skip her cousin in a throwback post of her own. “Happy birthday to our Tay. Love you so,” Natalia wrote in her stories with a heart emoji on Tayah. (The third kid might be Gigi, it’s not confirmed.)

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2024 was an emotional one for the Bryant family. On February 8, the Lakers unveiled the first statue dedicated to the 5x NBA champ. In July, Tayah and Natalia’s grandfather, Joe Bryant passed away. The following month, Kobe’s second statue, this one featuring Gianna, was also unveiled. The third will be installed sometime this year.

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Chatter about alleged friction between Vanessa Bryant and her in-laws has been endless. But the Bryant ladies have shown a united front like this many times.

2025 is the year of the Bryant Ladies

There have been moments in recent years when Kobe Bryant’s widow and sisters have proven rumors of estrangement wrong. Sharia Washington honored her late brother as well as her niece, Gigi, with a special tattoo of their numbers, 24, 8, and 2 in 2020. The following year, Vanessa gifted Sharia a Tesla.

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They’ve had sporadic posts like this many times in between. And the Bryant ladies are bringing more people together.

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Following Sharia’s post to Tayah, Candace Parker and Matt Barnes along with Kobe’s old friend, Kid Jay, sent the birthday girl some love. Khloe Kardashian also liked Vanessa’s birthday wishes for Tayah.

Meanwhile, Natalia stepped out in a risque stunner to celebrate her friend’s birthday and broke the Internet. It just shows the Bryant girls are starting 2025 with a bang.

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Caroline John

3,483 Articles

Caroline John is a senior NBA writer at EssentiallySports, specializing in league comparables. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and Communication and brings eight years of experience to the sports desk. Caroline made a mark in NBA media by covering the life of Shaquille O’Neal, which led to an exclusive interview with Josh Halpern, CEO of Shaq’s Big Chicken franchise. Her coverage was also personally highlighted by Shaq, who shared her article about his DJ Diesel persona and rapper GAWNE on Instagram. Drawn to the philanthropic work of LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal, Caroline started following the NBA for its character both on and off the court, and has since become a respected voice covering many of the league’s biggest names. Her reporting stands out for accuracy, recognition from industry figures, and a strong connection with readers. Away from sports, Caroline is an avid reader, finding equal passion in books and storytelling.

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Shivatmika Manvi

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