JaVale McGee’s family has a rich sporting history. McGee was most recently a member of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). JaVale Montgomery was born on January 19, 1988, in Flint, Michigan, to his father, George Montgomery, and mother, Pamela McGee. The Washington Wizards selected JaVale McGee with the 18th overall choice in the 2008 NBA draft.
He is a three-time NBA champion, having won back-to-back championships with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and looking to win a fourth with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. His mother, Pamela McGee, is an Olympic gold winner, and JaVale received a gold medal with the United States Olympic team in 2020.
Javale Mcgee Comes from an Athletic Family
JaVale McGee’s family has a rich sporting history. His father, George Montgomery, measured 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 meters) tall and was a second-round draft selection for the Portland Trail Blazers in 1985, however, he never played for the club. His mother, Pamela, on the other hand, is a well-known figure in women’s basketball. She was a star player for the University of Southern California, where she played with her twin sister, Paula, and the renowned Cheryl Miller, standing at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters).
They won two NCAA Division I championships together in 1983 and 1984, after two Michigan state titles at Northern Flint High School. Pamela also won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 and was selected by the Sacramento Monarchs in the 1997 WNBA draft. During her career, she was a member of both the Monarchs and the Los Angeles Sparks. What makes JaVale McGee even more special is that he is the first son of a WNBA player to make it to the NBA.
Imani McGee-Stafford, his younger half-sister, is also a professional basketball player who has previously played for the Chicago Sky and the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA. Pamela, who has a degree in economics, juggled her international basketball career with raising her children, homeschooling, coaching, and teaching during the offseason, a feat that wasn’t without criticism. JaVale McGee is also cousins with retired NFL defensive end Jarron Gilbert.
Meet His Mother Pamela McGee
Pamela Denise McGee, born December 1, 1962, is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. McGee grew raised in Flint, Michigan, where she attended Flint Southwestern Academy before finishing high school at Flint Northern High School. She was an Academic All-American at Northern High School and excelled in both women’s basketball and women’s track and field, winning two consecutive state titles in each event. She even achieved the state record in shot put in track and field, demonstrating her amazing athleticism.
Notably, she was selected as the Parade All-American game’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), which included the nation’s finest high school players. Following her high school accomplishments, McGee went on to have a successful basketball career, winning two NCAA Championships as an All-American while playing for the University of Southern California. She played college basketball with her twin sister Paula and basketball icons Cynthia Cooper and Cheryl Miller. The Sacramento Monarchs selected Pamela. With Javale joining the Kings, they will have represented Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Team USA.
Meet JaVale McGee Dad George Montgomery
George Montgomery, JaVale’s father, was born on April 26, 1962 in Chicago, Illinois. While at the University of Illinois, he displayed his basketball skills. Despite being drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 1985 NBA Draft, he did not play in the league.
