Pamela was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. JaVale McGee’s Parents and Sister. The former WNBA player and coach from Flint, Michigan; McGee was a standout basketball player at USC, winning NCAA titles in 1983 and ’84, before graduating with degrees in economics and communications. It boggles JaVale’s mind to think that his mom worked so hard at basketball growing up in Michigan at a time when it promised no future. JaVale has heard stories, but he also got to experience his mom as a baller through games of one-on-one they played when he was growing up – “she did won most of them,” he offered. She is the first WNBA player to have a child play in the NBA, referring to JaVale who plays with the Denver Nuggets and signed a $44 million, four-year contract. Her daughter also plays basketball for the University of Texas at Austin. Imani likes to think of her grandmother as she, JaVale and their cousins pursue their goals as professional athletes, which she calls “living our ancestor’s wildest dreams.”. JaVale McGee’s full birth name is JaVale Lindy McGee. Lakers, Clippers preseason games set, including two against each other We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. His father, George Montgomery, is a retired basketball player. What’s now possible for his little girl was paved by women like his mom. Their father had died in a boating accident at 35. While nodding to the past, JaVale also thinks ahead. While Cheryl Miller, the three-time Naismith Player of the Year considered by some to be the best women’s player ever, takes center stage, the film also celebrates other key players including the McGees, who played a pivotal role in not just winning, but recruiting Miller. Lakers center JaVale McGee poses for a photo with his mom, former USC star Pamela McGee, during a game between USC and Nevada on Dec. 1, 2018, at the Galen Center. JaVale’s father was no longer a part of her life. By 2008, more than two decades after the fateful day in church, McGee basked in the glory of her decision to become a parent as her son, JaVale McGee, was drafted by the Wizards in the first round of the 2008 NBA draft. Female athletes were seen as a novelty at the time in a male-dominated arena: The HBO film shows a newspaper clipping that describes the twins in cringeworthy terms as “honey-toned cuties.” But their competitive spirit won them support, and when the Trojans were at their best in the mid-’80s, they were a bigger draw than the men’s team. LOS ANGELES — Late last month, JaVale McGee skipped a team flight to attend a red carpet premiere. The Hottest Wives and Girlfriends in Sports. But let’s take it back in time for a bit, McGee has two children. We’re always gonna be at the top of the food chain.”. “The McGees always fight. Since then, Pamela has remained behind the scenes, guiding JaVale’s career as his financial manager. A highly publicized custody battle ensued over the couple’s young daughter, Imani, JaVale’s half sister. “I think JaVale has shown resiliency,” she said. According to her Facebook page, she studied finance and communications at University of Southern California. Follow Pamela on twitter here and find her on Facebook here. “I always asked her, ‘Why were you working so hard?’” he said. The last time many of us paid any mind to JaVale McGee’s mom, she was smooching Dr. J during the Dunk Contest. She’s the only WNBA player to ever have children drafted into both the NBA and WNBA. Her children live far afield these days chasing their careers, and it’s as hard as ever for them to invest time into something thoughtful for her. Pam wanted to show off her kids, who she describes as her proudest achievements, but she also wanted them to see: Mom had game, too. When JaVale signed with the Lakers in 2018, Pam told him to tell owner Jeanie Buss hello – they attended college together. As Imani puts it: “Basketball is what we do.”. “But when Jeanie said she knew me, I got instant credibility. By the time JaVale was born in 1988, Pam had already won two NCAA national championships for USC and an Olympic gold medal in the 1984 Games and had earned three-time All-American status. His mother, Pamela McGee, is a retired professional women’s basketball player and assistant coach. JaVale McGee’s full birth name is JaVale Lindy McGee. Their mother, Diane McGee, was a factory worker, who sensed that they might have an opportunity to get to college through basketball.