Where would we be without our mothers? Well, for some of our favorite athletes, probably not making game-winning shots or touchdowns in front of millions. They’re the ones who drive to every practice, cheer from the sidelines, and, in some cases, instill the discipline it takes to even make it into the NBA or NFL.
Behind nearly every star player is more often than not a mother who worked just as hard behind the scenes. Regina Jackson, for example, became a viral sensation after reminding everyone she’ll protect her son Jayden Daniels at all costs. Wanda Pratt — or Mama Durant, as KD likes to call her — raised two boys as a single parent. So, yes, their stories are reminders that greatness often starts at home.
Without further ado, we’re spotlighting 11 incredible athletes and the women who raised them. See our favorite sports moms below.
1. Gloria James (LeBron James)
Starting off with the mother of arguably the best NBA player ever, at least statistically, Gloria James had LeBron when she was just 16. Raising a child on her own is no easy feat, but she made it work and got the ultimate return on her investment. Now, with Bronny entering the league in 2024, she’s officially earned her spot in the sports grandma hall of fame, too.
2. Lucille O’Neal (Shaquille O’Neal)
Much like her NBA Hall of Famer son, Lucille O’Neal wears many hats, and wears them all incredibly well. She welcomed Shaq as a teenager and, despite facing financial struggles, never let that stop her from raising a future basketball legend. Make no mistake, though, she's more than just "Shaq's mom." Lucille earned her business administration degree from Bethune-Cookman University, went on to get her master’s, became a published author, and perhaps most delightfully, co-hosted the “Raising Fame” podcast alongside fellow NBA mom Sonya Curry.
3. Pilar Sanders (Shedeur Sanders)
If anyone knows how to reinvent herself, it’s Pilar Sanders. She’s been a model, an actress, and these days, she’s proudly known as Shedeur’s mom. Pilar and Coach Prime actually share three children together, including fellow footballer Shilo and their daughter, Shelomi. Clearly, talent runs deep in the Sanders family.
4. Regina Jackson (Jayden Daniels)
By now, you've probably seen the viral moment of Jayden Daniels’ mom, Regina Jackson, sitting between him and Juju Watson. She doesn't play when it comes to protecting her superstar son, and given how young athletes often find trouble, understandably so. “You never know who is really there for you and against you,” Jackson told The Pivot Podcast.” She added, “Every athlete’s parents should want them [to be] surrounded by good humans, whether it’s significant others or friends.”
5. Nellie Biles (Simone Biles)
Nellie Biles may not be Simone’s biological mother, but that doesn’t make her any less of a powerful figure in her life or any less of a sports mom. She and her husband, Ronald, adopted Simone and her younger sister, Adria, when the Olympic gold medalist was just 6 years old. “They’ve supported everything that I have ever wanted to do,” Biles said in an NBC Olympics video, where Team USA gymnasts reflected on the sacrifices their parents made.
6. Alisa Gardner (Sauce Gardner)
Sauce Gardner never hesitates to give credit where it’s due, especially when it comes to his mom, Alisa. She paid for his football camps and practices and practically raised an NFL star single-handedly. To repay her after becoming a first-round draft pick for the New York Jets in 2022, Sauce gifted his mother a brand-new Mercedes-Benz. “I always told her growing up, like, ‘Ma, you ain’t gonna have to work no more,’” he shared at the NFL Combine, and luckily, he made good on that.
7. Angel Reese (Angel Reese)
We’ve been rooting for Angel Reese since her LSU days, and that support has only grown stronger now that she's made her way into the WNBA. If there’s one person to thank for her drive and work ethic, it’s her mom, or Mama Reese. During an episode of her "Unapologetically Angel" podcast, the Chicago Sky star surprised her mom on her birthday by paying off her mortgage.
“That was my biggest goal in life to retire you and pay your mortgage or whatever you wanted not to work,” Angel said, as her mom fought back tears. "You're a hard-working woman.”
8. Wanda Pratt (Kevin Durant)
Mama Durant raised two boys on her own, one of whom went on to become arguably the greatest offensive player in NBA history. “You made us believe. You kept us off the street, put clothes on our backs, food on the table. When you didn’t eat, you made sure we ate,” KD said during his 2014 MVP acceptance speech. She’s also one of the very few sports moms with a movie made about her. The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story aired on Lifetime, chronicling “her dedication to raise one of the greatest basketball players in the world.”
9. Randi Mahomes (Patrick Mahomes)
The Mahomes family is certainly not small by any means. Patrick Mahomes was born to parents Pat Mahomes and Randi Martin in 1995. The NFL star's mom has been cheering him on since day one, especially after he was drafted 10th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. That same support followed him all the way to the team's Super Bowl win in 2023.
10. Sonya Curry (Stephen Curry)
Sonya Curry beat some pretty incredible odds. She's the mother of not one, but two NBA stars: Steph and Seth Curry. She met their dad, Dell, in college before he went on to play in the league, so it’s safe to say athleticism runs all throughout their DNA. Her talents extend beyond motherhood, too. She founded the Christian Montessori School of Lake Norman and penned a memoir titled "Fierce Love."
11. Charmaine Gilgeous (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
There’s nothing quite like the bond between a mother and her first-born, especially when your mom is Charmaine Gilgeous. Her NBA All-Star son, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, put it best during a post-game interview in May 2025: “One thing [my mom] always taught me was, no matter what happens, she's going to love me.” Believe it or not, Charmaine knows a thing or two about athletics herself. She proudly represented Antigua and Barbuda in the women's 400m at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.