He'd knock down a deep shot and celebrate just as he'd seen the pros do. That philosophy is reflected in how he plays the game today. He was 11 pounds, 11 ounces at birth. 52-year-old Pamela McGee a former basketaball player for the WNBA and mother of Nugget's JaVale Mcgee has had many ups and downs in her career and personal life. The marriage of the WNBA and NBA already has produced several family connections. Pam McGee is the first WBNA star to have a son play in the NBA, and now, she and JaVale are appearing in a new show called “Mom’s Got Game,” airing this month on the Oprah Winfrey Network. His mother's fame never was something he thought much about. (It was the mid-'90s, after all). But never before has the son of a WNBA player suited up in the NBA. McGee is the first WNBA player to have a child play in the NBA and WNBA. "We are so much alike, it’s eerie,” Pamela said of Imani. With that, McGee became the first mother to have a WNBA and NBA draft pick as a former WNBA player. Humble Beginnings. Like his mom, his father also had an impressive career. She lives in Annandale, Virginia. He can be reached via e-mail at Jeremy.R.Lundblad@espn.com. Her brother is Raptors guard Anthony Parker. JaVale and Imani were born six years apart. The elder McGee starred, along with twin sister Paula, on back-to-back NCAA championship teams at USC. The Shaq-JaVale McGee beef is a classic tale of a joke gone too far. Her son, JaVale, is playing for the Dallas Mavericks in his eighth season in the league. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. McGee was mimicking Cynthia Cooper, his mom's teammate in Europe and a future WNBA star. " "[JaVale] views women differently because he's always been around strong women," said Pamela McGee, his mother. "He just sees me as his mother.". Dallas Wings center Imani McGee-Stafford is stepping away for the next two WNBA seasons to pursue a law degree from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, where she grew up. Keep reading to find out more. "Big" George Montgomery was a force at Illinois in the early 1980s. Spurs reserve forward Ime Udoka and his sister Mfon are the only brother-sister combo in NBA-WNBA history. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. He was born on January 19, 1988, in Flint city in Michigan, United States. "Coooooooop," he'd chant, then start raising the roof. The Nevada sophomore not only is on the verge of becoming an NBA lottery pick but also will become the first WNBA offspring drafted into the NBA. Still, the draft hopeful doesn't remember many details about watching his mom. She would know. Like any kid playing basketball, JaVale McGee imitated his idols when messing around on the court. A former WNBA Hall of Famer, Pam is known for being domineering both on and off the court. McGee was mimicking Cynthia Cooper, his mom's teammate in Europe and a future WNBA star. They have the same mother but different fathers. JaVale McGee held the distinction of being the eldest of the children, most of whom were still infants. Her son was her travel companion, thanks to contract terms that included nannies and teammates who helped with the babysitting -- including Cynthia Cooper. HuffPost is part of Verizon Media. It boggles JaVale’s mind to think that his mother, Pamela McGee, and her twin sister Paula, both former USC stars, worked so hard at the sport growing up in … The forward/center played two seasons with the Monarchs and L.A. Sparks before retiring prior to the 1999 season. McGee has a daughter, current WNBA player Imani McGee-Stafford and a son, NBA player and NBA champion JaVale McGee, currently with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also was one of only three sons. "I really didn't look at it like she was famous or anything," he recalled. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. His younger half sister, Imani McGee-Stafford, also plays in the WNBA for the Atlanta Dream. Broncos' Jackson: NFL making example of us, Hill, Mahomes combine for record showing in win, Shanahan upset over suddenness of county ban, Jaguars fire GM Caldwell after 10th straight loss, Source: WR Snead joins Ravens positive for virus, Hayward move to Hornets set via sign-and-trade, NFL Week 12 takeaways: Concerns for Raiders, Cardinals after tough losses, Latest projections for every bowl game, including the College Football Playoff, Five things every NBA rookie should know heading into the 2020-21 season. "I remember sitting in the audience watching them play, wishing I could be out there playing," he said. AP Top 25 college football poll reaction: What's next for each ranked team? His father, George Montgomery, is a retired basketball player. The 7-foot center shot over 35 percent from beyond the arc in his college career. After eight years of playing overseas, Pamela McGee was 34 years old with two children when the WNBA launched in 1997. Their mom, Pamela McGee, … But girls weren't the only ones finding heroes in the newly formed league. 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. Prior to her WNBA career, she and her twin sister Paula played college basketball at the University of Southern California, where they won two NCAA Division One championship. That will change next fall when McGee will suit up for his NBA debut, just like he watched his mother do in the WNBA 11 years ago. Thanks to the WNBA, thousands of young girls across the country found role models on the professional level. "She never really made me go to the post," McGee said. JaVale, a center for the Denver Nuggets, has a reputation for being a colorful and eccentric character -- and also one with incredible athleticism and skill. "Mom's Got Game" will explore the dynamic relationship between these two larger-than-life basketball superstars. “The Kennedys do politics. JaVale Lindy McGee (born January 19 ... McGee is the first son of a WNBA player to ever play in the NBA. That will change when Candace Parker, the top pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, suits up this month. She won Olympic gold before starting a professional career that took her to Brazil, France, Italy and Spain. "As a single mother, you just always sit back and say, 'That's my baby,'" Pamela said. Throughout the 20-year-old McGee's life, his mom has taught him the game of basketball. His mother, Pamela McGee, is a former WNBA star who played for the Los Angeles Sparks and the Sacramento Monarchs. Girls no longer only heard stories of the greatness of Nancy Lieberman or waited until the Olympics to watch Teresa Weatherspoon, Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and scores of other budding stars. The McGees, we do basketball,” Pam says. Most notably, Karl Malone's daughter is Cheryl Ford, last year's WNBA All-Star Game MVP. In that inaugural season, Pamela McGee joined seven other mothers playing in the WNBA. Instead, it was, "That's my mom, she plays basketball.". The cancer survivor and mother of two has dedicated herself to being her son's financial manager but being mom and manager can sometimes be a predicament. His mom preached the importance of learning the game from outside and then developing inside. 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. 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