Source: SLAM / Slam Magazine
Ye and his love for basketball are no secret, so it should come as no surprise that West is involved in youth hoops. Thanks to SLAM magazinewe are getting closer to his basketball team Donda Academy.
Kanye West, who is currently living his best life with his new Julia Fox barbie doll in Paris for Fashion Week, let his team filled with the country’s next generation of basketball talent do the talking, thank goodness. In the interview, the young hoopers talked about playing for Ye, bringing his vision to life, and what it means to be the building blocks of the Chicago rapper’s prep school basketball program.
The team is made up of notable high school prospects Jalen Hooks, Jahki Howard, Chuck Bailey, Braeden Moore, Robert Dillingham, Zion Cruz, JJ Taylor, Brandon White, Omarion Bodrick, Seven Bahati and Bryce Baker. In the interview, Hooks revealed that most of the players already know each other well via social media or when playing against each other. “We had to make sure it was the right position for us. [with] so many of the best players play with each other,” the basketball publication said.
The decision to head to the school located in Simi Valley, California was not an easy choice for some of the players who have been criticized for leaving their hometown to play basketball for Ye’s team. “A lot of my teammates, when they left [their hometowns], they had bad reactions,” Nashville Tennessee native Braeden Moore revealed. “People called them influence hunters and said the [school] offered them money,” he added.
As for the usually very active Mr. West, the players revealed that even though he is not there physically, his presence, which he famously kicked, is a “blessing”, is felt. Yeezy makes sure his players are doing well academically and athletically. He even talks to them one-on-one to check on them when he’s not busy doing his “girlfriend” Julia Fox’s hair from head to toe.
“I remember watching JJ [Taylor] talking on the phone with him for the first time,” said Shayla Scott, the school’s vice president and athletic director. “It was really cool that he took that time, and obviously they share a bond of [being] of Chicago together.
“In reality, anyone can do school this way,” she added. “But knowing that we’re doing it because of the support we have from Ye and all the parents and players, I think it’s going to really, honestly build for years to come.”
Looks like Ye is building a power plant at Donda Academy.
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Photo: SLAM/Slam Magazine
