Last Updated on October 5, 2026 by Orlando Bloom
Isaiah Stewart comes from a large, hardworking family whose Jamaican and Rochester roots have had a major influence on the Memphis Grizzlies big man. Stewart is the son of Dela Stewart and Shameka Holloway and has described himself as the youngest of seven siblings.
His father’s remarkable journey from Jamaica to the United States became one of the defining stories of Isaiah’s childhood. Stewart watched Dela work physically demanding jobs while raising his children and has repeatedly credited his father with teaching him discipline, toughness and the importance of hard work. Isaiah has since created a family of his own with his wife, Kiley Stewart, and their young son, Rafa.
Who Is Isaiah Stewart’s Wife?
Isaiah Stewart is married to Kiley Stewart.
The couple has kept much of their relationship away from the public spotlight, but Stewart confirmed during a 2024 interview that he and Kiley married in February 2024.
Their wedding reflected the private nature of their relationship. Rather than organizing an elaborate public ceremony, Stewart explained that they married quietly at home.
Kiley has continued to maintain a relatively low public profile despite her husband’s NBA career. Isaiah rarely discusses the details of their relationship in basketball interviews, preferring to keep much of his home life separate from his professional career.
However, Stewart has spoken warmly about his wife and the additional motivation that marriage and fatherhood have brought to his life.
Does Isaiah Stewart Have Children?
Yes. Isaiah Stewart has one publicly known child, a son named Rafa Naryan Stewart.
Rafa Naryan Stewart
Isaiah and Kiley welcomed Rafa in July 2024.
The arrival of his son represented an important new chapter for Stewart, who had already spoken publicly during Kiley’s pregnancy about how seriously he was approaching fatherhood.
Stewart explained that becoming a parent made him think more deeply about the example his own father had provided while he was growing up.
Dela Stewart had raised Isaiah with strict expectations involving school, responsibilities and sports, and Isaiah entered fatherhood wanting to carry forward many of those lessons.
Rafa has since appeared with his father at basketball events, including memorable moments on the court following Detroit Pistons games.
Who Are Isaiah Stewart’s Parents?
Isaiah Stewart’s parents are Dela Stewart and Shameka Holloway.
Stewart was born in Rochester, New York, on May 22, 2001. Although both parents were part of his childhood, Dela became especially influential after Isaiah and his brother Martin began living with their father full-time.
Isaiah Stewart’s Father: Dela Stewart
Dela Stewart is Isaiah Stewart’s father and arguably the greatest influence on his famous work ethic.
Dela was born in Saint Mary, Jamaica. Before coming to the United States, he worked as a fisherman in Jamaica.
He later accepted an opportunity to travel to South Florida to work cutting sugar cane. The work was physically demanding, but it gave Dela an opportunity to establish a life in the United States.
He eventually moved north to Rochester, New York, where he met Shameka Holloway.
Dela later worked in construction for many years, frequently using heavy equipment and performing physically demanding jobs to support his family.
How Dela Stewart Shaped Isaiah’s Work Ethic
Isaiah has repeatedly described watching his father return home exhausted from construction work.
Seeing Dela continue working despite the physical demands of his job taught Isaiah that success required consistency and sacrifice.
Dela was also a strict parent. Isaiah has described his Jamaican father as protective and demanding, particularly when it came to school and staying away from negative influences.
The household had structure. Basketball could be important, but education, chores and responsibilities still had to be completed.
Isaiah later carried that mentality into basketball, developing a reputation as one of the NBA’s most physical and energetic frontcourt players.
Dela Stewart’s Jamaican Heritage
Isaiah has remained extremely proud of his father’s Jamaican background.
His paternal family comes from Saint Mary, Jamaica, and Stewart has maintained connections to that side of his family.
He has also incorporated Jamaican culture into important moments of his basketball career. During the 2020 NBA Draft, Stewart included Jamaican imagery in his draft-night clothing as a tribute to his father and family heritage.
Stewart has also spoken about looking up to Jamaican-American NBA legend Patrick Ewing while growing up.
Isaiah Stewart’s Mother: Shameka Holloway
Shameka Holloway is Isaiah Stewart’s mother.
She met Dela after he settled in Rochester, and Isaiah spent part of his early childhood living with his mother before eventually moving into his father’s household.
Compared with Dela, Shameka has maintained a much lower public profile and has rarely participated in extensive media interviews.
Nevertheless, she remained part of Isaiah’s life and supported his basketball development.
Both parents were present for important stages of his rise as an elite prospect, including his decision to attend the University of Washington.
Are Isaiah Stewart’s Parents Still Together?
Dela Stewart and Shameka Holloway separated while Isaiah was young.
Isaiah eventually lived primarily with his father and his older brother Martin.
Despite the separation, both parents continued supporting their son as his basketball career developed.
Who Are Isaiah Stewart’s Siblings?
Isaiah Stewart comes from a large family and has described himself as the youngest of seven siblings.
That means Stewart has six older siblings.
Published family profiles have identified them as Martin Stewart, Terrence Holloway, William Holloway, Krishna Stewart Boone, Shyasia Holloway and Latoya Stewart.
Most of Isaiah’s siblings live significantly more private lives than their NBA brother, so relatively little authoritative information has been published about their careers and personal lives.
Martin Stewart
Martin Stewart is the sibling most frequently discussed in reliable accounts of Isaiah’s childhood.
Martin is approximately one year older than Isaiah, and the brothers grew up closely together.
When Isaiah moved into Dela’s household permanently, Martin lived there with him.
The brothers experienced their father’s strict approach to parenting together, including expectations surrounding school, chores and staying focused on positive activities.
Growing up with a brother close to his age also provided Isaiah with companionship while he developed as an athlete.
Terrence Holloway
Terrence Holloway has been publicly identified as one of Isaiah Stewart’s older brothers.
Terrence maintains a private profile and has not received significant national sports-media coverage.
Because he is not a prominent public figure, details about his professional or personal life remain limited.
William Holloway
William Holloway is another of Isaiah Stewart’s older brothers.
Like several members of the family, William has largely remained outside the public spotlight despite Isaiah’s NBA fame.
Krishna Stewart Boone
Krishna Stewart Boone is one of Isaiah’s older sisters.
She is part of the large group of siblings Stewart has referenced when discussing his family background, although she maintains a private life away from professional basketball coverage.
Shyasia Holloway
Shyasia Holloway is another of Isaiah Stewart’s older sisters.
Reliable public information about Shyasia remains limited because Isaiah’s siblings generally do not seek the same public attention associated with his NBA career.
Latoya Stewart
Latoya Stewart has also been identified among Isaiah’s older sisters.
Like the majority of Stewart’s siblings, she maintains a low public profile.
How Many Siblings Does Isaiah Stewart Have?
Isaiah Stewart has said directly that he is the youngest of seven children, meaning he has six older siblings.
Growing up in such a large family helped shape Stewart’s competitive personality and his strong emphasis on loyalty and family relationships.
Isaiah Stewart’s Jamaican Family Roots
Isaiah’s connection to Jamaica comes through his father.
Dela grew up in Saint Mary before moving to the United States as a young man. Isaiah has frequently spoken with pride about the sacrifices his father made after leaving Jamaica.
His paternal grandfather was also a fisherman and farmer in Jamaica and was reportedly approximately 6-foot-9, suggesting that unusual height already existed within the Stewart family.
Isaiah’s Jamaican identity became particularly visible when he reached the NBA, where he has spoken about representing both Rochester and his family’s Caribbean heritage.
Isaiah Stewart’s Childhood in Rochester
Isaiah Stewart II was born on May 22, 2001, in Rochester, New York.
Basketball was not initially his only sporting interest.
Stewart grew up participating in activities including soccer and boxing before eventually concentrating increasingly on basketball.
He began organized basketball at approximately 10 years old and quickly attracted attention because of his combination of size, strength and competitiveness.
By the time he was around 12, Stewart was already approximately six feet tall.
Isaiah Stewart’s High School Basketball Career
Stewart initially attended McQuaid Jesuit High School in the Rochester area.
He quickly emerged as an exceptional young player and attracted attention from major college programs.
Stewart later transferred to La Lumiere School in Indiana, one of the most prestigious prep basketball programs in the United States.
His performances there transformed him into a consensus five-star recruit.
He was named the 2019 Naismith Prep Player of the Year and participated in the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Why Isaiah Stewart Chose Washington
Stewart became one of the most heavily recruited players in the 2019 class.
Despite receiving interest from several major college basketball programs, he committed to the University of Washington.
Family considerations and relationships with the coaching staff played important roles in the recruiting process.
Stewart spent only one season with the Huskies but immediately established himself as one of the Pac-12’s leading big men.
He averaged 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and earned First-Team All-Pac-12 honors.
Isaiah Stewart’s Journey to the NBA
Stewart declared for the 2020 NBA Draft following his freshman season at Washington.
The Portland Trail Blazers selected him with the 16th overall pick, although his draft rights were moved before he ultimately began his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons.
Stewart quickly became recognizable for his physical style, rebounding, defensive effort and willingness to compete against larger players.
Those characteristics eventually earned him the popular nickname “Beef Stew.”
How Fatherhood Changed Isaiah Stewart
Stewart entered another important stage of his life in 2024 when he married Kiley and prepared for the birth of their first child.
He described fatherhood as something that caused him to reflect more deeply on Dela’s sacrifices.
After spending years thinking about what his father had provided for him and his siblings, Isaiah suddenly had responsibility for creating that same security for his own child.
The experience added another layer of motivation to his basketball career.
Isaiah Stewart and the Memphis Grizzlies
Stewart spent the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons.
During the 2026 offseason, his career entered a new chapter when Detroit traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The deal was finalized in July 2026 as part of a large multi-team transaction.
Memphis acquired Stewart to add toughness, rebounding and interior defense to its frontcourt.
As of now, Stewart plays forward-center for the Memphis Grizzlies and wears No. 28.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah Stewart’s Family
Who is Isaiah Stewart’s wife?
Isaiah Stewart’s wife is Kiley Stewart. The couple married in February 2024 after keeping much of their relationship private.
Does Isaiah Stewart have children?
Yes. Isaiah Stewart and his wife Kiley have one publicly known son named Rafa Naryan Stewart, who was born in July 2024.
Who is Isaiah Stewart’s father?
Isaiah Stewart’s father is Dela Stewart, a Jamaican immigrant from Saint Mary who worked in farming and construction after moving to the United States.
Who is Isaiah Stewart’s mother?
Isaiah Stewart’s mother is Shameka Holloway. She lived in Rochester, New York, where she met Dela Stewart.
Are Isaiah Stewart’s parents still together?
No. Dela Stewart and Shameka Holloway separated while Isaiah was young. He later lived primarily with his father and older brother Martin.
How many siblings does Isaiah Stewart have?
Isaiah Stewart is the youngest of seven siblings, meaning he has six older brothers and sisters.
Who are Isaiah Stewart’s siblings?
Published family profiles identify his siblings as Martin Stewart, Terrence Holloway, William Holloway, Krishna Stewart Boone, Shyasia Holloway and Latoya Stewart.
Who is Isaiah Stewart’s brother Martin?
Martin Stewart is Isaiah’s older brother, approximately one year his senior. The two grew up together in their father Dela’s household in Rochester.
Is Isaiah Stewart Jamaican?
Isaiah Stewart was born in the United States and has Jamaican heritage through his father, Dela Stewart, who was born and raised in Saint Mary, Jamaica.
Where is Isaiah Stewart from?
Isaiah Stewart was born and raised in Rochester, New York.
Orlando Bloom is a sports journalist and analyst specializing in in-depth NBA coverage, tactical breakdowns, and advanced player analytics. With a passion for professional basketball, he covers everything from trade deadline maneuvers and Draft prospects to team strategies and league-wide trends. Combining detailed stat analysis with game context, Orlando delivers sharp insights and compelling stories for avid basketball fans and casual followers alike.
