The Toronto Raptors’ Star Forward Scottie Barnes’ Parents Separated When He Was Young But He Found A Father Figure In John Simpson

December 10, 2026

This article was last updated by Pranaya Poudel on December 10, 2026

The Toronto Raptors’ star forward, Scottie Barnes’ parents, parted ways when he was young. Barnes and his three siblings were raised by their mother, Kathalyn Wilkins, in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The fourth overall pick in the star-packed 2026 NBA Draft, Barnes was voted the Rookie of the Year at the end of the season.

In his past three seasons with the Raptors, Barnes has emerged as the savior of the Canadian organization.

Last year, Barnes played 60 games, the majority of which were as a shooting guard, and averaged 19.9 points. He also made the NBA All-Star team.

This season, after four games, Barnes had to be sidelined due to an orbital fracture. He has only played nine games out of a possible 24.

The team felt Scottie’s absence as they lost seven consecutive games. But even after his return, Toronto hasn’t had the best time.

They sit 14th and are only better than the Wizards in the East. But there is hope that Scottie, rookie , and shooting guard can help the team get out of this current slump.

Scottie Barnes’ Dad Was Out Of The Picture Early On

The 6’9 forward, Scottie Barnes’ biological dad, had no role in his basketball career as Scottie and his siblings were raised singlehandedly by their mom.

The NBA star didn’t have a stable home growing up. The family often moved to neighborhoods that weren’t safe.

In his interview with, Barnes revealed that his parents argued constantly and that he described his upbringing as pretty hard.

There are speculations that Scottie’s dad’s name is Scottie Barnes Sr., but he hasn’t been seen in any photos shared by the basketball player.

Though his biological dad was never around, Barnes found his basketball dad in John Simpson. Simpson, a basketball scout, met Scottie’s coach during one of his trips, and they struck up a conversation.

Barnes’ coach at the time told Simpson that the future NBA star didn’t play much but was a phenomenal ballplayer and needed some guidance.

Simpson was impressed with Barnes, and shortly, he visited Barnes’ home in West Palm Beach, Florida.

In his interview with The Athletic, Simpson recalled how Scottie simply told him he just wanted to play basketball and position didn’t matter.

After Simpson took him under his wing, Barnes started living with Simpson and his family in Wellington, Florida.

Simpson had a huge impact on Scottie’s life. One year after living together, Scottie asked Simpson if he could call him dad.

Simpson replied, “Absolutely. You can call me ‘dad’. You can call me ‘coach.’ You can call me whatever you want to call me.‘

Simpson further added,

And then I said to him—and I said to his mother—that I will always be here for him, no matter what happens.

via:

John and Scottie had long conversations before the latter committed to FSU. After Scottie moved to Tallahassee, John’s son, Jason, became Scottie’s roommate.

For Scottie Barnes, John Simpson played a role no less than that of a biological dad.

Scottie Barnes Bought His Mom, Kathalyn Wilkins, Her Dream Car On Mother’s Day

Last year, on Mother’s Day, Scottie bought his mother, Kathalyn Wilkins, a brand-new Jeep.

Barnes shared the buying his mom the car on his YouTube channel in June 2026.

In the video, Barnes said he wanted to buy a larger car for his mom because several people were living with her, including his two brothers, his sister, and her four kids.

After meeting his mom, Scottie guided her to where he had parked her new car. During the latter half of the video, Kathalyn is seen driving around her new car in the neighborhood and getting emotional.

Wilkins said in the video,

I always knew he was going to make it. When he was young, he was alwyas dedicated to it. He always said he was going to be next Kobe.

via:

The Raptors star has always been known for his enthusiasm. In an , Barnes said he gets his smile from his mom.

Kathalyn is available on Instagram and has shared several family pictures, including a of their trip to Kaseya Center, where the Raptors took on Jimmy Butler’s Heat.

Earlier this year, on July 29, Kathalyn shared a from Draft Day as she celebrated the third anniversary of her son becoming Mr. NBA.

In Case You Didn’t Know

Scottie Barnes has Jamaican heritage from his dad’s side and previously said he had family ties in Canada coming from his dad.
In September 2026, Scottie revealed that he and his girlfriend were having a baby while live on a Twitch stream.

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Sriyukta Pradhananga is a versatile writer with a keen interest in exploring the multifaceted dimensions of sports. Her articles offer readers a dynamic blend of insightful analysis, engaging storytelling, and thought-provoking commentary that sheds light on the diverse experiences within the athletic realm.

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