JT Thor, a South Sudanese-American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA, is making his parents proud of his achievements.
The young NBA star played a significant role in the Cleveland Cavalier’s recent game against the Charlotte Hornets, which led to their victory by 128-114.
With his outstanding skills, JT Thor has grasped people’s attention, and many are curious to know more about his personal life, including the details of his family.
Talking about his family, JT Thor was born to South Sudanese parents on August 26, 2002, in Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
Similarly, his parents, who have roots in South Sudan, migrated to Nebraska for the better future of their children.
Although very little information about his parents, including their names and professions, is available, JT Thor describes his mother as his biggest motivation.
In an interview with prospective Insight, JT Thor stated, “My mom is working. She has two jobs. She’s working to take care of my two little brothers, so I feel like I have to get up even when I’m feeling tired or I’m not feeling good. That’s what keeps me going.“
Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward JT Thor comes from a family of seven siblings!
The NBA star has four brothers and three sisters, who all love playing basketball.
Moreover, when asked who influenced JT’s life most, he said that his brother, who gives him a lot of advice, navigates him through the world, and blocks a lot of things out for him, has the most influence on him.
JT Thor left Anchorage, Alaska, and moved to West Virginia, where his brother lived, to play basketball at Huntington Prep. His brother played JUCO basketball in Texas.
Similarly, his sisters Martha and Nyedol Thor played basketball at West High School in Anchorage, Alaska.
Nyedol Thor was a senior on the West Anchorage girls’ basketball team, which finished sixth in the 2018 Alaska Class 4A state tournament.
Moreover, Nyedol currently works as a fashion model and a self-taught hair braider. She runs a hairdressing business named Slayedbydoll.
In addition to his siblings, JT Thor also regards his cousin Jal Rial as his brother and his biggest inspiration.
Rial played at Bartlett Hugh School in Anchorage, Alaska, and played college basketball with Phoenix for the 2012-13 season.
He later established Next Level Sports in West Virginia for agents and managers of athletes.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- JT Thor’s real name is Jokhow Panom Thor, but he prefers to go by JT. He knows Nuer, a Nilo-Saharan language spoken in South Sudan and western Ethiopia.
- In seventh grade, he started playing basketball with the West Anchorage High School basketball team.
- JT began his professional career with the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA in 2021. The Hornets released Thor on June 28, 2024.
