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Mama Bears: Cam Spencer’s mom hopes her son’s NBA road is a long one

By , Special to The Daily Memphian Updated: May 10, 2025 4:00 AM CT | Published: May 10, 2025 4:00 AM CT
Candace Echols
Special to The Daily Memphian

Candace Echols

Candace Echols is a Midtown resident, wife, and mother of five. A regular contributor to The Daily Memphian, she is a freelance writer who also recently published her first book, the children’s book “Josephine and the Quarantine.” 

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Men are what their mothers made them.” The Memphis Grizzlies mother/son stories The Daily Memphian is running this week are as varied as the players themselves, but woven together they prove the truth behind Emerson’s observation. The road to the NBA is not for the faint of heart, and nobody knows that better than a mother.

Donna Spencer, mother of Grizzlies player Cam Spencer, is originally from Prince George’s County, Maryland, the location known for producing more NBA players than any other. Victor Oladipo, Quinn Cook, Jeff Green, Jerami Grant and, of course, Cam’s brother Pat Spencer who is also in the NBA: They all hail from Prince George’s County. 

But they’re not the only players from the place locals call PGC. Kevin Durant also is a PGC native.

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