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Beyond Covid-19: Audacity to dream that Fye AAU future!

Covid 19? Nightmare, yes, but it can’t hold back a kid’s dream. A hoop dream lives in a real ballers belly, even in world crisis mode. You the teenager are prolly tired of online school busy work, but we all need to stay indoors at all cost.

Me? I’m ready to leave behind that harsh lady yelling in the grocery store recently, “Get behind the line, tall man!” as she tried to shout me down. “Get behind the line man.” I could’ve used my 6-5, 250 lb frame to give her a dirty look but I just smiled and said, “Be easy, we’re all in this together Ms.”

Here’s a feel good story to remind you readers that hoop dreams still burn bright. Let me share a gripping tale, one good deed done I saw couple days ago.

There’s a curly haired 4 year-old girl in my condo complex named Melanie. She’s sitting on the grass, bored, watching her big bro Aldo. He’s age 9 and rides his bike around a circle road track in my condo complex.

I’m always telling people who are going too fast in the area, “Don’t run kids over dude.” We all pray in the complex that the lil ones who move they lil knees and legs to ride bikes, we pray they don’t get crushed.

3 days ago Mel is crying and saying loud for all to hear, “I turned 4, mom promised me I’d get training wheels. I want to be big girl and ride bike like Aldo, my turn ride brodur.”

Mel’s anguish seems more painful than salt in an open cut. You see, her moms got fired, another not sick victim of Covid-19.

$40 buys training wheels, but no dice in an economy in free fall. Aldo tells Mel loudly, “No money to buy training wheels lil sis, sorry, we need feel lucky to just have food sis.”

Covid 19, screw you - guess what pops up on Mel’s doorstop the next day? Amazon overnight training wheels 5000, shiny dope kind to power a dream.

Score = Mel has 1, Covid 19, better luck trying beat down a lil girl next time punk.

What’s the point, many kids want to hit gyms, hit that EYBL circuit. They dreamt some years in junior high years waiting for this year, this summer to show the world what’s up.

Chest out, I got next!


Left to right: Rylei Waugh, Kobe,  Caia Elisaldez
Left to right: Rylei Waugh, Kobe, Caia Elisaldez
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These players I’ll describe below, they will take your breath away if they’re allowed to play in August. I know, I know, that’s a leap of faith to consider. But who knows, all it’d take is proof kids could be safe, we pray for containment.

Let me ask, does a dream dry up like a raisin in the sun? Not this summer we pray, fingers crossed!

Get to know my peeps, Chloe Briggs, Queen Ruffin, Rylei Waugh, Caia Elisaldez, Christy Reynoso, and Londynn Jones.

These dope kids all walked up with me to an oversized poster saying Covid-19, we cocked our arms back and punched a giant size hole right through it (figuratively speaking), and we looked through the big gaping hole.

E-Woods is bored, too much video games, need help my peeps. So I call these kids, they call me, tell me how they’re grindin in the lab, even when the lab is moved to the garage or secluded park.

All these kids promised themselves to stay frosty, ready, keep believing, show hoop that indomitable spirit lives in them. They are the future of hoop, believe that.

These kids? I promised to keep their names out there, to call coaches and burn their names in the ears of coaches, even when the streets are deserted in this month of April. E-Woods has mad love to call coaches on behalf a deserving kid, like I’ve done 20 years now!

Those kids, you the reader who sees this? We can’t hug or kiss each other, but we can still hug our dream, we can still try to kiss the sky by displaying our passion.

These kids’ names mentioned and like 20-30 others I help link with coaches for free. Goodness heart, I’m paid by teaching remember.

Most kids are usually wanting to link with the ever popular UCLA. Made those calls, but was also requested to hit up Florida St, Gonzaga, Texas A & M, Louisville, Northwestern, Indiana, Columbia, and Kentucky.

Man, Wildcat coach Niya Butts is the truth, and I even reached out to South Carolina. You got juice like that with coaches and they hit you back.

Even the Gamecocks will give your kids the “look see” as you refer? Silly rabbit, you kidding? Since 05’ I’ve talked to bazillion, million, trillion D1 coaches, easy for me to get at coaches as easy as fish swim in water.

You think a hungry D1 coach won’t take a talent evaluator call, you gone cray, cray?

Here’s a super, super dope kid I’m spreading good word about. She made E-Woods “drop the mic,” saw her play and she was set to BLOW UP this summer. Chloe Briggs of Team Taurasi is potentially the best freshman girl in the country.


Chloe Briggs
Chloe Briggs

Really? Well, how many frosh ave 35 ppg, 12 boards, and 7 assists, catch me I just fainted. Chloe is a dope person, pass-first guard, ultra shifty, that has true experts thinking she’s the next Pistol Pete or J-Harden.

I’ve had 2 elite AAU coaches tell me she could easily be the next Sabrina Ionescu. Daaaaang you say? Just get to know Chloe, her inner circle, you’ll connect dots on C-Briggs fosho. This girl is humble, a non pretentious uber skilled player with a strong fam core. Her great dad Jason, a programmer, keeps her driven and locked in.

What’s some proof Chloe could be S-Ionescu?

Chloe went to hang and watch Sabrina in her last game at Oregon, chilled with Sabrina for her official visit, what a moment. When Covid-19 subsides, we will see the sun set on Ionescu’s prep and college career, off to be a pro, the next cycle.

The sun rises, it comes up on the future face of girls prep hoop: Chloe is the next TAKE OVER!

Dailey Bulletin article on Chloe Briggs

Next, we spy the most exciting player in prep, soph Sparks AAU Londynn Jones. Ever see my guy DeMar DeRozan attempt a reverse 360 degree dunk in the Olympics? That’s how L takes it to the rack, her every drive is that breathtaking, and she’s on her grind big time.

Her caring dad, Tony, her dope, oh so dope dad, he posted vid on his twitter of his baby killin it indoor training with some fye jumpers in a 2 story hallway. It’s CRAAAAZY!

Jones fam? Forever grindin’, they not letting Covid-19 allow L-Jones to skip a beat. Check out how L does in their 2 story house. Londeeezy rains down shots like it’s Olympics time (click onto Tony’s twitter to see urban lab grind yourself)

https://mobile.twitter.com/tjizzal?lang=en

L-Jones is ranked 10 by most recruitment outlets. I have her as #1 in her class, I already made my case why her game speaks like Allen Iverson all day. How many other frosh preps already won a gold medal for Team USA? Nuf said. One buck!

Next? E-Woods, I already wrote and was going to publish 3/12/20 the coolest story of love between Cal Storm’s super mentor coach, Joanne Waugh, and her dope freshman daughter Rylei. But best to delay her full story till Covid-19 subsides.


Rylei Waugh
Rylei Waugh

Rylei has untapped potential. To feel her game is like a creeping up massive tsunami, a 50 foot wave of strength, speed, evolving skill in a 5-6 body, just waiting to splash down in AAU with the sound of a high major sonic boom crash in the shore fosho.

The photo of Matt Barnes is dope, he gave fire advice to Rylei. Check back in our future story, it’s not to be missed.

Rylei? It’s not just the hoop talent. Her whole Waugh fam, dad Booker, lil sis Reign, Joanne they already world class people that needs celebrating. The Waugh fam operates like how Kobe Bryant was with his fam, his dynamic with Gi Gi.

Kob mentored Rylei lots, Kob put his stamp of care on her. What higher compliment is possible to offer then your fam operates like Kob did his fam? You tell me, I dunno!

Crazy part, Rylei’s best, best friend is Caia Elisaldez, that sweet and talented Mater Dei PG frosh supreme. Caia already has many D1 offers and, again, I was all set to have Caia get a BOMB feature by E-Woods. How bummed you think I was? Caia deserves to have her story when the time is right, you’ll see much props on her.

What must be known about Rylei and Caia, they push each other to greatness. They become the best versions of themselves because they care so much for each other’s families.

Caia’s dad Kurtd, her mom Tiffany Elisaldez, goooood people and are role model parents that support their daughters to be academic kids. That’s just as important as being super real niiice with it, ballers. They’re the truth as people, what’s more important than that really?

Next, I’ve written much on Ashley Chea, called this freshman the next Jesus Shuttlesworth. I believe in her? Yezzzir, invited A-Chea to ball with me, E-Woods, side by side vs. grown men at the Drew League mere weeks ago.


Dev Booker and Ashley Chea
Dev Booker and Ashley Chea

What impressed me most is that Covid-19 has motivated Ashley to be even more giving, even sweeter. She just wants to dedicate herself to helping lil kids be great players, great kids, mentor an army of lil kids.

Ashley, it’s so cool to know someone that sweet as sugar, she gives you a toothache she’s that sweet. Ashley told me, “I’m tired of being known only from my AAU affiliation or heritage. I just want to be known as a good person.” So I linked her up with UBER awesome youth organizer Desiree “Dez" Ale, Dez helps run the Her Game program that supports kids and holds many clinics and events.

A-Chea wants to help lil kids and be like a person she respects, the Suns’ Dev Booker who constantly gives his time and soul to youngsters and recently donated $2.5 million to improving lives. I salute A-Chea and D-Booker for actually caring!

Know who I’m hyped to bust out the BIG story on?

Cal Storm’s Queen Ruffin, frosh talent galore. Is she good you may be asking? Those 15 D1 programs I reached out to lately, few of them already had heard of Q-Ruffin. One power 5 conference coach said, “I heard some in the Cal Storm organization said Queen could be great, maybe as good if not better than Asia Avinger who was very good.”

I told them yes she has potential to be great, to have PAC-12 potential. Her being seen, getting great prep coaching to go with awesome AAU guidance she’s already receiving, yes she could be the one.

Queen has such a spiritually strong mom LaTerra, who preaches wisdom to her congregation. She’s an awesome preacher in the Inland Empire. Queen is definitely grounded, but swaggy, a positive soul to make our world a better place.

I talk to her lots, she tells me she’s grindin, all these kids in story are. Why do stories for all? Because I realize these kids are biting at the chomp to show out, it’s in their blood. Easy to shout that to the world!


Queen Ruffin
Queen Ruffin

Next? Christy “Dribble Yo Ears Off” Reynoso. How impressed is E-Woods with this 8th grade phenom?

Hold my heart, she the truth! Every time I went to see a game, it was her ultra dope family, Oyuky and Martin that were always trucking their baby girl to the games, like I ran into them 5 games in a row! Christy will attend Sierra Canyon, where she’ll mesmerize fans with dribbling that reminds of Kyrie Irving, and she’s a dead shooter for her age.

But it’s more than her skills that strike you most. She truly brings out the best in people. Example: my guy Shareef’s sis Me’yarah seems happiest around Christy, our girl Shea Joko too. C-Reynoso is what I like to call the famous company 3M, they don’t make the product, they just make it better!

What’s Christy's potential? I’m real to kids, if she plays more 2 way defense, tightens up a lil this and that, she could be the next Kennedy Burke that starred at Sierra Canyon, UCLA, and now in the WNBA.

C got it like that? I know Kennedy, know the force and love to which K-Burke and C-Reynoso both light up a room with that diamond like smile of theirs.

It blinds you. Check out Christy’s IG account, you’ll become a believer like me, I bet.

https://www.instagram.com/_christyr329/?hl=en

In closing, the public needs feel good stories, to know that youngsters are working their tails off. This article was just part 1. In part 2 coming up, I have just as super dope kids to celebrate, more kids that Covid-19 hasn’t slowed their dreams.

They are prep stars or future prep phenoms like Jayda & Layla Curry, Reni Johnson, Ashley Chea, Bryson Allen, and Shea Joko. Kids in this part 1 feature and in part 2 have not let their abilities be degraded.

Crazy? They upgraded over the stay-indoors call to action because like a rose, they’re finding a way to break through the cracks and bloom. Kids aren’t expected to be getting better during this pandemic, yet they want it that bad, even in this time of Covid-19.

I’m sure Tupac would say this about chasing a dream:

“The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams.”

“Don't change on me. Don't extort me unless you intend to do it forever.”

#Tupac was wise

Point is, if AAU started tomorrow these kids would be hitting the ground running, they’d be killin like no world shut down ever took place.

How dope is that?

Me, E-Woods, in 1st grade I tested at college level for vocabulary, people said I was well spoken. Not for me to judge how articulate I am, all I know is I don’t have words to describe how driven these kids are in the middle of a world crisis.

So I guess you need to tell me people. Lol. 100.

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