Shelomi Sanders‘ decision to transfer has stirred up mixed feelings, particularly with her father, Coach Prime. When questioned about Shelomi’s departure from Boulder, Coach Prime didn’t mince words, expressing his discontent with her choice and implying a circumvention of NCAA regulations. “(It) was stupid,” Sanders candidly stated to DNVR on Wednesday. “You don’t enter the portal. You get a team before you enter the portal,” stating that entering the portal without securing a team in advance was not the best move on Shelomi’s part.
However, Shelomi’s mother, Pilar Sanders, former spouse of Coach Prime, came to her daughter’s defense. Pilar stated that Shelomi “was never given a fair chance to really get recruited.” Despite receiving initial interest from colleges and universities, her potential recruitment was overshadowed by assumptions that she would follow in her father’s footsteps to Jackson State University (JSU).
This perception, fueled by media speculation and the reputation of her father, hindered Shelomi’s ability to explore other options and deprived her of the full recruiting experience.
Ultimately, she joined JSU, like many other students, to support her father’s coaching career. When Coach Prime transitioned to Colorado, Shelomi followed suit, relocating to support him, despite not being recruited by the university. Consequently, she was effectively considered a walk-on due to her familial ties. According to Pilar, now that Shelomi has finally taken a call for her own career, Deion Sanders should be supporting her and not reprimanding her choice.