Who Is Raven Johnson’s Mother Shekia Johnson? Everything You Need to Know About the South Carolina Star’s Family

Remember the senior day at Colonial Life Arena last month? The crowd couldn’t stop chanting—“One more year! One more year! One more year!” All for Raven Johnson. She’s been the heartbeat of South Carolina’s lineup, especially this season, her second as a starter and just her third actively playing. It’s wild to think how much she’s already done, considering how much time she’s still got on the clock.

After tearing her ACL in her freshman year, Raven was granted a medical redshirt, meaning technically, she still has eligibility left. But whether she’ll return for one more year is still up in the air. What’s clear though is that fans desperately want her back in Columbia. She’s been a pillar of one of the most successful classes in Gamecocks history. But what makes Raven HER is that quiet strength that comes from knowing your people always have your back. And for her, that starts with one person: her mom.

Who is Raven Johnson’s mother, Shekia Johnson?

Shekia Johnson is Raven’s mother and #1 supporter since day one. While there isn’t a whole lot out there about what Shekia does for a living, what we do know is she’s been in Raven’s corner every single step of the way. From hauling her to practice and games to cheering her on in every gym from Atlanta to Columbia, she has been the MVP behind the scenes.

And the SC star has never forgotten that. She’s the kind of person who loves to give more than receive  and recently, she used her NIL money to do something huge for her mom. She surprised Shekia with a brand new Nissan.

Because after years of driving the baller around in the same old car through her high school grind and early hoops journey, Johnson thought it was time for an upgrade. “She does so much for me; I owe her a car,” Raven told The Greenville News. “She sacrificed so much for me, my brothers, and our family overall. I owe her that car, that moment. It was very surreal, seeing her so happy and the smile on her face. It made me light up.”

That’s Raven in a nutshell. All heart, both on and off the court.

Raven Johnson remains indebted to her mother and family for her basketball success

And you know that car gift wasn’t just about money; it was about gratitude. Because Shekia hasn’t just been a ride to practice. She’s been an emotional anchor when her daughter needed it most.

Flashback to last year’s Final Four. The game against Caitlin Clark and Iowa. The one where Clark waved Raven off at the 3-point line and went all in on Aliyah Boston in the paint. Social media exploded with memes, and Johnson caught a lot of heat. So much so that she deleted all her socials after the game.

It stung. And in that moment of doubt, guess who was right there? Yes, her mother. “You don’t think Caitlin is under pressure? When she doesn’t perform, you don’t think she’s dragged just like the rest of you are? She gets it, too,” Shekia told Raven.

That perspective helped pull the Gamecock guard out of a dark place and prepare for her ‘revenge season.’ Just like Shekia had done back when Raven tore her ACL two games into her freshman year. Rehab was brutal, but her mom was there. Every single day. Reminding her that bounce backs are part of the journey.

And while Shekia’s been the rock, let’s not forget the spark, her grandfather, Rodrick Boone. A retired U.S. military officer, he was the one who got 5-year-old Raven and her twin brother Richard into the game. He even gave them nicknames, “Thriller Killer.” Richard had the offense; Raven had the defense. Playing with her twin and her granddad lit the fire in her. She started taking hoops seriously by sixth grade and the rest?

Well, you’re watching it unfold. A two-time national champ, a Dawn Staley protégé, and a McDonald’s All-American. So it’s safe to say that behind every star is a story. And for Raven Johnson, it’s a story of family, sacrifice, and the kind of love that shows up day in, day out, whether that’s in a car on the way to practice or in the stands screaming her name.