Sometimes, all Caleb Martin needs is his family. As the lights of the basketball court blazed down and the crowd’s roar filled his ears, Caleb’s eyes always found one face—his mom’s. Despite the noise, the pressure, and the intensity of the game, she was the only person who truly mattered to him. He said, “It meant everything to me to see my mom in the crowd. Honestly, when I look up in the stands, I don’t look at anybody else but my mom.”
Through all the wins, losses, and tough moments, her unwavering presence was the reason why we see him with the Dallas Mavericks today. But behind all this was tons of sacrifice, love, and a story that’s worth reading. So, come let’s explore his childhood together.
Who is Caleb Martin’s mother? Was she a single mother?
“It’s been tough at times, but I always told them, ‘You sacrifice now for later. It’s been a rough road, but to see them where they are and to see them happy, it’s been worth it for sure.” This is what Caleb Martin’s mother’s best advice is. Sometimes, you don’t get the best life, but you try to make it better. That is what Caleb’s childhood was about. He, along with his brothers, Raheem and Coby, were raised by their single mother, Jenny Bennett. Their father left them at a very young age, so his name and information are not publicly available. Raising three big boys as a single mother is challenging for anyone, but for Jenny, the real challenge was when she had no one to support her.
Now, going back to her quote, there is a reason why we said that: it’s her best. Her story begins when she became a mother as a teenager. But the real struggle came when her parents found out she was pregnant with her first son, Raheem; they kicked her out of their home. This made her home else. With nowhere to go, she moved into a small, 300-square-foot trailer in the tiny town of Cooleemee, N.C. The population was only 960 because their neighborhood was ravaged by crime. And then 2 and a half years later, the twins came. However, the struggles only grew, but despite the constant struggles, Jenny did everything she could to protect her children.
Once, when the boys wanted Kool-Aid, they decided to make it their own. But, as they opened the sugar jar, they saw a group of ants coming for their sugar. Not just that, their house was a dirty, neglected home, where roaches were a common sight. Because of the limited space, the boys started to make sacrifices at a very young age. For example, if they had to sleep two nights on the floor, they would only get one night on the mattress. Now, that’s something really hard to take as a child.
To provide her kids with a better life, Jenny worked three jobs. One of her jobs was as a scan analyst at Food Lion. She’d wake up at 2 a.m., return home by 3 p.m., and still find the energy to care for her children. But she often went without meals herself, telling her sons, “Don’t worry about me. I’m not very hungry.” She sacrificed her own comfort so her children could have what they needed.
Jenny’s biggest struggle was to raise her three biracial children in a predominantly white Southern community. Now, here she herself is, a white woman, and her family endured racial prejudice. Usually, when you wake up, you need to be greeted by the morning sun, right? But when once she woke up, she found a burning cross in their yard. She was also chased by a truck—a traumatic reminder of the hatred they faced. Despite these hardships, she never let her sons feel the weight of the racism and violence surrounding them.
Her sacrifices weren’t just about survival—they were about giving her kids hope. She taught them the value of hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. Caleb once said, “I have a crazy, crazy amount of respect for my mom and all the stuff she’s gone through.” These lessons will stick with her kids throughout their lives. However, now that we have seen Caleb’s childhood story, we also need to know about how he figured out his love for basketball.
How did Caleb Martin discover his love for basketball?
The best part about the Martin siblings is that, growing up, they weren’t just playing games—they were inventing them. Once outside their trailer, they found an old, beat-up hoop and placed a mini trampoline next to it. The boys were only 12, but they had a game called “Slamball.”
Unlike regular basketball, there was no dribbling. Instead, you ran toward the hoop, tackled each other like football players, and tried to use the trampoline to dunk. That game was rough, but it was their world. Caleb recalled, “There were so many games we made up.” Alongside “Slamball,” they also created games like “Stick War” and no-holds-barred races through the woods. Each of these games helped toughen them up.
While they loved other games, they knew what their calling was. Basketball always had a special pull. Caleb and Cody were naturally gifted athletes and played other sports, like baseball and football, but they knew early on that basketball was their future.
By their freshman year of high school, the twins began to see their potential. They played up two years in age groups because they were physically ahead of their peers. Still, they didn’t yet understand the world of college recruitment. It wasn’t until their sophomore year that they received their first scholarship offer from Wake Forest.
They were so good that word about these skilled twin brothers spread quickly, and soon, they found themselves playing on top-tier AAU teams. Playing at these higher levels, their talent caught the attention of Oak Hill Academy. Despite a tough game against Garner Road, the Oak Hill coaches still wanted them on their team.
From there, their journey exploded. By their senior year, the twins were key players for a team ranked fourth in the nation. They signed with NC State and later earned full-ride scholarships to play college basketball. Through it all, their competitiveness, fueled by the sacrifices their mother made, never wavered. As Caleb put it, “Everybody’s motivation is to make sure their mom doesn’t have to work anymore.”
From playing rough games like “Slamball” to dominating the national stage, Caleb’s love for basketball blossomed through pure play and relentless determination. It wasn’t just a game—it was their way out.
The post Who Are Caleb Martin’s Parents? Exploring the Struggles and Sacrifices the Family Faced To Raise the Mavericks Star appeared first on EssentiallySports.