Cheryl Johnson-LaVine: The Strong Mom Who Helped Zach LaVine Become an NBA Star
When you watch Zach LaVine fly through the air and score amazing baskets in the NBA, you see a superstar. But do you ever think about who helped him get there? Behind every great athlete, there is a family that believed in them first. For Zach LaVine, that person is his mother, Cheryl Johnson-LaVine.
She is not famous on TV. She does not post on social media. She does not give interviews. But her story is one of hard work, love, and sacrifice. Cheryl Johnson-LaVine worked two jobs, raised four children, and helped build one of the most exciting basketball careers in the NBA today. This is her story.
Who Is Cheryl Johnson-LaVine?
Cheryl Johnson-LaVine is the mother of NBA star Zach LaVine. She is an American woman of White and Native American background. She was born on November 30, but her exact birth year is not known to the public. She grew up in the United States and later settled in Renton, Washington, where she raised her family.
Cheryl is also known by her nickname, C.J. LaVine. She is married to Paul LaVine, a former professional football player who played in the NFL and the USFL. Together, they built a home full of sports, love, and strong values.
What makes Cheryl special is not just who she is married to or who her son is. It is what she did every single day to make sure her family had everything they needed.
Cheryl Johnson-LaVine Was an Athlete Too
Many people do not know this, but Cheryl Johnson-LaVine was a softball player. She played softball at the college level. Playing sports in college is not easy. It takes a lot of practice, discipline, and mental strength.
Her experience as an athlete gave her a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in sports. She knew about the long hours of training. She knew about losing and getting back up. She knew about the pressure of competition.
This is important because when her son Zach started to show interest in basketball, Cheryl understood his world. She did not just cheer from the side. She understood the journey because she had lived it herself.
A Mother Who Worked Two Jobs
One of the most powerful parts of Cheryl Johnson-LaVine’s story is her work ethic. According to multiple reports, she worked two jobs at the same time to support her family. Think about that for a moment. She was raising four children, supporting a household, and still finding time and energy to be there for her kids.
Nobody knows the exact jobs she held. Cheryl keeps her personal life very private. But the fact that she worked two jobs shows how much she was willing to give for her family. She did not wait for things to happen. She made things happen.
Her husband Paul also made sacrifices. He left his construction job because it took too much time away from the kids. He started a delivery business so he could be more present at home. Together, Cheryl and Paul made family their top priority.
The LaVine Family: More Than Just Zach
Cheryl Johnson-LaVine and Paul LaVine have four children together. Zach is their only son, but he has three sisters. Their names are Chandi Leishman, Linda Carter, and Camryn LaVine.
Chandi and Linda are both married and have started their own families. Camryn, the youngest daughter, has not yet married. The LaVine family is close, and Cheryl played a big role in keeping everyone connected and supported.
Raising four children is a big job on its own. But raising them in a home where sports were a major part of life adds another level of challenge. Cheryl made sure that all her children, not just Zach, felt loved and supported.
How Cheryl Johnson-LaVine Helped Shape Zach LaVine’s Career
Zach LaVine has talked many times about how important his parents are to him. He has shared pictures with his mother on Instagram and spoken about her in interviews. He gives her credit for helping him become the person and player he is today.
When Zach was in the fourth grade, he told his teacher that he wanted to be an NBA player. Many people told him to think about something more realistic. But his parents, especially Cheryl, believed in him. They did not laugh at his dream. They supported it.
That kind of support from a young age is very powerful. It gave Zach the confidence to keep working, even when things were hard. At age five, he watched Michael Jordan in the movie Space Jam and fell in love with basketball. His father became his first coach, and the family backyard became his first court.
Cheryl’s role was different but just as important. She provided the emotional support, the stability, and the daily care that allowed Zach to focus on his goals. She made sure the home was a safe and positive place. She taught him values like respect, hard work, and humility.
Zach LaVine’s Rise to the NBA
Zach LaVine grew up in the Seattle area and became the top high school basketball player in Washington state. He then went to play for the UCLA Bruins in college. After just one year at UCLA, he entered the 2014 NBA Draft and was picked 13th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He quickly made a name for himself. He won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest two years in a row, in 2015 and 2016. His dunks were so incredible that people compared him to Michael Jordan. He later moved to the Chicago Bulls, where he became an All-Star player.
Over his career, Zach has earned more than $200 million. But he has never forgotten where he came from. He often talks about his family and gives thanks to his parents for everything they did.
Why Cheryl Johnson-LaVine Stays Out of the Spotlight
In a world where many people want to be famous, Cheryl Johnson-LaVine is the opposite. She does not have any known social media accounts. She does not do interviews. She does not appear in magazines or on TV shows.
This choice says a lot about who she is. Cheryl is a person who cares about doing the right thing, not about getting attention for it. She finds meaning in her family, not in fame.
Today, she lives a quiet and peaceful life in Renton, Washington. She enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren. She watches her family grow and succeed, knowing that she helped build the foundation for all of it.
The Mixed Heritage of the LaVine Family
The LaVine family has a beautiful mix of cultures. Paul LaVine is African American, and Cheryl Johnson-LaVine is of White and Native American background. This means Zach LaVine and his sisters grew up in a home with different traditions, cultures, and views.
Zach has spoken about how proud he is of his background. Growing up in a multicultural home gave him a wider view of the world. It helped him connect with people from all kinds of backgrounds, both on and off the basketball court.
What We Can Learn from Cheryl Johnson-LaVine
Cheryl Johnson-LaVine’s story teaches us some very important lessons.
First, support matters. When a parent believes in a child’s dream, it can change everything. Zach LaVine became an NBA star partly because his mother never stopped believing in him.
Second, hard work is real love. Cheryl did not just say she loved her family. She showed it by working two jobs and giving everything she had.
Third, you do not need fame to make a big impact. Cheryl never looked for attention. But her influence is seen every time Zach steps on the court.
Fourth, sports families create strong bonds. Both Cheryl and Paul were athletes. Their shared love of sports brought the family together and gave their children a strong start in life.
Final Thoughts
Cheryl Johnson-LaVine may not be a name you hear on TV every day. But she is one of the most important people in Zach LaVine’s life. She is a former college softball player, a hard-working mother, and a woman who put her family before everything else.
Her story is a reminder that real success starts at home. It starts with parents who show up, work hard, and never stop believing in their children.
If you enjoyed this article, share it with someone who loves basketball or who believes in the power of strong families. And the next time you watch Zach LaVine play, remember the strong woman who helped make it all possible: Cheryl Johnson-LaVine.
