“I try to be the best human I can be, and that comes from my faith and how I was raised,” said Riley Minix when discussing his AAU days. It was the teachings that were passed down to him by his parents that motivated the Spurs player to keep good grades in school while balancing his sports career. As his mom revealed, “He had to do all the things, and have a good attitude … to be able to play”. Therefore, while Riley looked to build up his basketball skills by developing himself more with the ball, his parents ensured that the young star was receiving the right amount of discipline and financial backing.

Today, those combined efforts have allowed the 24-year-old to play for the San Antonio Spurs for a 2nd consecutive season! Therefore, it feels only right that we get to know more about the people who have supported the Florida native throughout his basketball journey.

Who Are Riley Minix’s Parents?

Riley Minix was born back in September 2000 to Kathy and Sean Minix.

Family Background and Early Life

Riley Minix was born and raised in Vero Beach, Florida. He was the third of four sons born to the couple. His two older brothers, Sean and Zack, and his younger brother, Grady, were equally passionate about basketball. It was Sean and Zack who reportedly came under the radar of coaching legend Bennie Shaw, and about whom he talked to Kathy Minix to add to his fifth-grade AAU team. When Kathy asked Shaw, “Can I bring my third grader?”, aka Riley, it changed the latter’s life course.

Zach Minix eventually went on to play for the Florida Comets. He earned a state rank of 80 and represented the team in 21 games, winning only 4 of them. As highlighted by ‘MaxPreps’, Grady was added to the Vero Beach 2024 football roster. Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 230 lbs, he is set to leave a mark as an offensive lineman by the time he graduates from school.

All 3 of Riley’s brothers stood by his side, along with his parents, when he announced his decision to commit to Southeastern University back in May 2021. With Kathy and Sean having encouraged his basketball ambitions from a young age, and his brothers setting an example by taking up basketball themselves, you could say that getting Riley to the NBA was a family effort!

Impact and Influence of His Parents

Kathy knew, right from the start, that Riley’s fate had basketball written on it. After all, as she revealed, “I knew he always had a desire to play basketball. I think his first word was ball. Before ‘Mama’ or ‘Dada.’” Over the years, she did her part to ensure that the passion only grew. She once took her son to watch his cousin at an AAU tournament at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex. Riley, who was less than 10 years old, got mesmerized enough to declare that “This is what I want to do”.

Soon after that game, Riley’s mother began searching for AAU teams in the area. With Vero Beach located between two major cities, Palm Beach and Orlando, it wasn’t easy to reach a decision. Therefore, Kathy and Sean had to settle for recreational basketball. That is, until Bennie Shaw took the young player under his wing. Riley’s four years in college were covered under his scholarship. However, the years that came before that were not. As NBA reporter Matt Guzman highlighted, Sean and Kathy saw Riley’s AAU days and cost as an investment in his future. Kathy and Sean even called it “our 401(r) plan”, with the ‘r’ standing for Riley. “We knew he would play college, we just didn’t know where. But we thought, well, if paying for AAU pays for college, it’s certainly worth it,” said Kathy.

Extended Family and Athletic Pedigree

Kathy Minix was the youngest of eight children in her family. When she was a junior in high school, her parents decided to move from New Jersey and retire to Vero Beach. Basketball certainly seemed to be in the blood. After all, Riley Minix’s uncle, Bill Griffin, was reportedly a four-year starter at Lehigh in the 1970s. By the time he left school, he was the team’s all-time leading scorer.

Bill eventually went on to marry Mimi Griffin, who was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame back in 2014. Bill and Mimi’s son, Kyle, played NCAA Division I basketball at La Salle and Siena. As of March 2022, he served as an associate head coach at La Salle.

Meanwhile, Riley’s aunt Julie and her husband Will Reybold also played basketball at the University of Delaware. Their son Shane established a 4-year-long basketball career at UNC-Wilmington. If the Kennedys were a political dynasty, the Minixes are certainly a basketball one!

Relationship of Riley Minix with His Parents

Riley Minix’s relationship with his parents continued to be a strong one over the years. Though the family carried expectations, Kathy and Sean didn’t put too much pressure on their son. As Kathy once said, “If (the) opportunity doesn’t work out, he’s still him. And he’s OK with that.” The Spurs star lived up to the expectations set upon him not only to be a great basketball player, but also a good human being in the eyes of his parents, too.

“All the little things add up,” said Riley during an interview. “I try to be the best human I can be, and that comes from my faith and how I was raised. I’ve always wanted to make my parents proud, my family proud, and respect everybody I come in contact with. Put a smile on their face.” Knowing that their son made it to the NBA would certainly bring a smile to the faces of Riley’s parents every day. With any luck, they even get to see their son hoist up the Larry O’Brien trophy one day.