Darius Kinnard Garland’s father, Winston Garland, is a former NBA player who played 7 seasons as a point guard during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Darius Garland was born on January 26, 2000, to father Winston and Felicia Garland in Gary, Indiana.
He attended Brentwood Academy, where he joined the varsity basketball team as an eighth-grader.
In 2022, he earned his first NBA All-Star selection and finished third in voting for the NBA Most Improved Player award that same year.
Darius’s Father’s Basketball Background and Mother’s Steadfast Support Have Been Instrumental in His Career
The Cleveland Cavalier point guard comes from a supportive and athletic family.
Darius’ father, Winston, has played with teams such as Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Denver Nuggets.
Winston started playing high school basketball for Roosevelt High School. He then attended Southeastern Community College for two years before transferring to Southwest Missouri State.
His experience and knowledge of the game have undoubtedly influenced Darius’s career, serving as a mentor and role model.
Winston Garland, born on December 19, 1964, was selected in the second round of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Over his seven-season NBA career, he played for five teams: the Golden State Warriors (1987–1990), Los Angeles Clippers (1990–1991), Denver Nuggets (1991–1992), Houston Rockets (1992–1993), and Minnesota Timberwolves (1994–1995).
Garland spent one final season playing professionally in Italy, marking the end of his basketball career.
Winston told Andscape that Darius is much better than he ever was, praising his son’s broader skill set and passion for the game.
Despite this high praise, Darius still considers his father his ultimate basketball role model.
Darius shared with the Akron Beacon Journal,
“I learned everything from him. He was my first trainer, my first coach. Everything I do on the court, I got it from him, including some of his skills and abilities.”
He added,
“My dad’s my best friend. I love him to death. He means the world to me and has been there every step of the way — through good times, bad times, basketball, and beyond.”
For Winston, being regarded as his son’s basketball role model is deeply meaningful, and it made his day.
Darius’ mother, Felicia Garland, is less publicly known than his father.
Although Felicia isn’t much of a sports fan, she has been a constant source of support for Darius.
She describes Darius and his father as being quite alike, affectionately calling them two clowns.
Additionally, Felicia shared they love to have fun, always smiling and making others smile.
Winston and Felicia Garland Faced a Tough Decision to Relocate from Indiana to Nashville for Darius
Felicia and Winston Garland were both born and raised in Gary, Indiana, even if they are of African-American descent.
They made the challenging decision to move their family to Nashville, Tennessee, after Darius finished sixth grade.
Reflecting on the move, Felicia mentioned,
“It was so hard, just driving down the street and leaving my mom’s house because that was the last stop.”
They both wanted to give Darius the best opportunity to pursue a future in basketball, which meant attending a high school with greater national exposure.
Additionally, they aimed to improve the lives of all their children, as Gary was struggling with high unemployment, poverty, and rising crime rates.
The move was also an opportunity for Darius to step out of his father’s shadow, as he was widely known in Gary as “Winston’s son.”
Also, Winston shared that he wanted Darius to establish his own identity, though the transition was not easy for the family.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Garland ranked among the top point guards in the 2018 class.
- He made history by committing to Vanderbilt as the program’s highest-ranked recruit.
- He became a four-time state champion and three-time Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball award recipient.
