Jaden McDaniels and his girlfriend, Allison Audrey, have mastered the art of keeping their lives private. Sure, they have kept us informed about major milestones. But can we construct a proper timeline with those? Not really. That said, as fans, we can’t help but be curious about our favorite athletes’ lives – be it on-court or off-court.

The Timberwolves star had recently become a father to a little boy. Although we don’t know the full name, the new parents have given to their infant, Audrey was kind enough to drop a name – Mekhi. And while the Georgia State alum and Jaden usually keep their affairs to themselves, Allison seems to have been so excited for their child’s arrival that she kept dropping photos one after another sooner than usual.

Hey, we are not complaining!

However, a mid-September tweet from Allison has many wondering if the couple is planning for their next bundle of joy. “Given that Mekhi is sooooo cute I feel like it’s my partners and I responsibility to bring a few beautiful people into this world idk,” she wrote, leaving it open-ended.

Of course, there haven’t been any further developments. But the new mom is certainly not getting behind on her workouts. The latest IG stories of Allison show her chronicling her fitness journey and it’s been only 2 months and 5 days postpartum! In fact, a few days ago, she shared a relatable and therefore inspirational video for all the mothers who keep postponing working out.

“I did not want to go to the gym today especially because Jaden was off so I wanted to stay in bed but then I remembered all the outfits I need to wear this season and that helped me get my butt UP. No excuses,” she captioned the short clip, along with the workout details.

McDaniels and Audrey are clearly thriving in their new role as parents. But what about them?

Get to know Jaden McDaniels and Allison Audrey

A Washington native, Jaden McDaniels spent both his high school and college years playing at home. During his time as a freshman at Federal Way High School, the 6’9 forward had the good fortune of playing with his elder brother, Jalen McDaniels (current Kings forward), and leading the team to their second straight Class 4A State Championship.

He was quite a force, earning multiple honors throughout high school while guiding his team to some of their best performances. As such, JMac was touted as a consensus five-star recruit and the best power forward of the Class of 2019. Despite being heavily scouted by Kentucky, Jaden committed to Washington.

Having signed with the Huskies in May 2019, McDaniels had a moderately good season. It was nothing like his high school, but Jaden had his moments. Also, the McD’s All-American only played for one season with the Huskies before declaring for the 2020 NBA Draft. The freshman season saw him average 13.0 points, 2.1 assists, and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 40.5% from the field, 33.9% from downtown, and 76.3% from the charity stripe in 31 games (21 starts).

On Draft Night, the Lakers picked him as No. 28, but they subsequently traded him to the OKC Thunder before he ultimately arrived in Minnesota. Interestingly, Jaden McDaniels is a cousin of the Nets assistant coach, Juwan Howard. So, basketball blood does run in the family. And as for Allison Audrey, she is definitely pro basketball.

The Spanish beauty that stole the heart of JMac

You might have already guessed from the heading, but yes, Allison Johnson, as she was known, was born in Gijón, Spain. Her father, Ed Lee Johnson, had a basketball career that spanned 12 seasons. Originally from Atlanta, Johnson was selected by the then-Seattle Supersonics in the third round, No. 33. In his time with the league, the Tennessee State alum played for the Los Angeles Stars, New York Nets (Brooklyn Nets), and Texas Chaparrals (San Antonio Spurs).

But in 1973, he moved to Spain and created a legacy there. It was also where he met his wife, Isabel Argüelles. And he had two lovely daughters. After retiring as a player, he spent some time as a coach before finally returning home in 2012. Allison, who was 12 by then, settled into Norcross, attending Norcross High School. For college, Johnson decided on Kennesaw State, playing for two seasons. While there, she earned a spot on the Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman Team.

The move to GSU

But after sophomore season, Allison would move south down Interstate 75 and join Georgia State. However, the young forward had to sit out the 2017-18 season due to transfer rules. But she made sure the wait was well worth it. Starting all but two games, Allison averaged 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game at GSU, earning her the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year honor. She also achieved the honor of being named to the Third Team All-Sun Belt.

What really pushed her to give her best these years was one, the death of her father in 2016. And secondly, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. Watching her daughter achieve greatness was a great moment for Isabel. “For me, this is my dream. I wish that my husband was here because he dreamed [this] all of his life [too],” Mama Johnson said in a 2019 interview with The Signal (an independent news outlet of GSU).

While her daughter’s success definitely made her proud, the most important thing for Allison’s mom was something else. “She’s a hard worker, which is the most important thing to me. It’s not about being a star or not; she’s doing a great job helping the team, and I love to see her playing that way.” 

Well, McDaniels definitely got the right woman to back him on his journey!