Every player’s got someone in the stands they want to impress. For Bobby Portis Jr., it’s never been a scout or a coach—it’s always been his mother, Tina Edwards. He could be down twenty, shots not falling, teammates off rhythm—but she’s watching. Always. And not only watching, either. She’s locked in like it’s her heart out there on the court, too.

There’s something honest about that kind of love—the kind that doesn’t just clap when you score, but leans in when things fall apart. You can almost picture Tina there, in the game, still yelling through the TV. And he’s listening. Because when she talks, he knows it’s coming from the heart—and from someone who’s always been in his corner. And to have a bigger picture of her, let’s take a deeper look into the mother-son’s beautiful relationship.

Who are Bobby Portis Jr’s parents?

There was no big plan. No blueprint. No five-star camps or shoe deals. Just a mom, a kid, and a basketball hoop in Arkansas. Bobby Portis Jr.’s mother, Tina Edwards, didn’t dream of raising an NBA player—she dreamed of raising a good man. But somewhere between school drop-offs and shifts at the local bread company, she did both.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ power forward was barely crawling when his father walked out. Tina was 21 and had just left her basketball scholarship behind, and was suddenly a single mom with a baby and no real safety net. “It was just him and me from right at the age of his life,” she said. From that moment, she decided she’d be both his parents.

She didn’t shelter Bobby from the real world—she introduced him to it. They’d be outside, tossing baseballs, shooting hoops. “I did everything with Bobby,” Tina said. She saw something in him early. Not just talent—drive. So, now that we have looked at his mother, let’s take a look at his father. Bobby Portis Jr. doesn’t talk about his father much and probably rightly so.

Bobby Sr. left when his son was just months old. Since then, he’s popped in and out—barely four times. A quick visit when Bobby was in first grade. A week in fourth grade. Once again, when he turned 18. That said, this makes you think about how Tina and Bobby Sr. met in the first place, given that the Milwaukee Bucks’ forward’s father wasn’t around much.

Where did Tina Edwards and Bobby Portis Sr. meet?

Well, there’s not much clarity about how Tina Edwards and Bobby Portis Sr. met. After all, Portis Jr.’s father is somewhat of a mystery figure. However, if we had to take a wild guess, it would’ve been during Tina’s time in college when she was a hooper at her university. However, shortly after, Portis Sr. once again slipped out of the picture. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at Bobby Portis Jr.’s roots.

What ethnicity are Bobby Portis Jr.’s parents?

Bobby Portis Jr. was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, which is exactly where his mother, Tina Edwards, is from. Speaking of which, Edwards hails from an African-American background. Meanwhile, his father, who wasn’t much in the picture throughout Portis Jr.’s life, is also seemingly of African-American ethnicity.

This, of course, also makes Bobby Portis Jr. an African-American. It’s safe to say that he’s proud of his roots and heritage and never misses an opportunity to honor his mother’s legacy. Nonetheless, Bobby Portis Jr. isn’t the only big guy in the family. He’s got three younger brothers—Jarod, Jared, and Jamaal– each carving their own path in this world.

Inside Bobby Portis Jr.’s relationship with his parents

As you’d expect, the Milwaukee Bucks star shares a special bond with mother, Tina Edwards. After all, not only has she gone beyond her ways to support and nurture him, but she has also played the role of his father, because of Bobby Portis Sr. not being around much while he grew up in Arkansas. To this day, Portis Jr. heads to his mother for advice.

Whether it’s about life or hoops, Tina is the one he trusts the most. That said, that isn’t the same between Bobby Portis Jr. and his father, as he doesn’t even like talking about him much. Nonetheless, the forward continues to shine both on and off the court, as he hopes to add another championship to his resume before it’s all set and done for him in the NBA.