Justin Gladney? He’s a 6-1 guard from Fairfax in LA, but dude is way more. Truly get to know him and he’s more than a baller who currently plays 5th year post grad at vaunted NELA Academy.
Justin helped win a City championship for Fairfax and LeBron James posted info on that on his IG page. Fairfax is sponsored by LeBron.
Justin is still really young, turned 18 on November 10. But we need to go back to Justin being an 11 year old youngster in Detroit, seeing violence, seeing his mom being in an abusive relationship, him seeing that and really never knowing his dad.
You ever see moms get hurt by a man? Some things you can’t unsee and Justin uses it as motivation. He’s my hero because he’s become that come up story. He only speaks about it to help other kids who feel helpless with no hope. You too can make it no matter your situation.
Justin, he that 11 year old with lil sisters Zakiya and Uriya being 1 and 2 years old. Being the big bro, he knows that vibe. Justin’s mom wanted him to be in a better environment so she sent him to her brother in L.A. and continues to support his dreams from afar.
Justin is that Detroit to LA story, his uncle Ron is the dopest guy you can meet, for reals. Ron’s son, a great soph at Fairfax, is like a brother to Justin. Beyond family they are love personified.
Peep the crazy fun vid of Lebron James kickin’ it with Jus and the Fax Squad one day: Fye!
That’s the real story. This kid Justin, he’s special, this kid different. Hoop is a release from the pain, as he channels the ball in his athletic hands. Heart? It’s moving from a place like Eminem’s 8 Mile in DET to LA, being 30 lbs overweight in 8th grade, grinding, losing the weight to get ripped.
Uncle Ron is his primary trainer and is Justin’s dad now. Imagine getting on ESPN in 8th grade and Aaron Gordon being with you as you’re on TV in 8th freaking grade, doing crazy windmill dunks with a 40 inch vert hoppy hops? That’s special.
Talk to Jus for hours like I have, see him play, see him hit sweat buckets. You’ll see that he’s that humble, confident, hardworking dude you feel blessed to just know. 100.
How special is Jus you ask? E-Woods knows; go back to 2005, my guy at Fax, Jamal Boykin was ballin for Fax, then eventually on to Cal. Jamal is now in his early 30’s, is a training coach for the Lake Show and that’s how special this kid Justin is. Both driven, both genuine to themselves, to the game eternally.
Where is Justin now? Our guy is the best player at NELA Academy, which is the West Coast Takeover Prep school. It has a prep and grad team and Jus plays on the 5th year team for NELA.
How well run, how much heart does NELA have? Think Oak Hill Academy in year 1 back in1984. NELA is just like how my guy Steve Smith runs that school in Virginia. Peep these two feature stories people:
https://californiapreps.rivals.com/news/oak-hill-academy-relationships-fraternity-family
https://californiapreps.rivals.com/news/oak-hill-academy-relationships-fraternity-family-pt-2
This crazy dope NELA squad is the United Nations, they takes kids from like 15 different high schools across the country. They all look up to their real, real one coach, Keion Kindred, who coaches as well as S-Smith.
Keion runs both a chip-winning Drew League team Redemption and also runs Air West. He’s trained elite players like J-Harden and now mentors a dope kid named Justin Gladney. Keion is another Tim Grover, studied with Tim. Who is Tim you ask? Oh, that’s Michael Jordan’s former trainer, Keyz got it like that.
Feel Keion’s quote on this most impressive young man, “Justin Gladney is a special talent. I've never seen a kid so driven. He works harder than anyone his age. He was definitely the right kid to build a team around. He has a bright future ahead of him!”
#Now you know
Let’s hear from Justin. In his mentality, his deep love of the game, he’s more than highlight dunks with an emerging skill set. Jus has many D1 suitors, and dude is chasing that precious 1 no doubt, “I just want to be one of the best ones ever. I’ll never be satisfied, always working to be that guy from Detroit.
“I need to be that Detroit Piston Isiah Thomas. I need to give passion and mentor others. I’m trying to create success that my kids, my future grand kids can appreciate. It’s not just money, it’s being there for myself, a legacy of being true to others.
“Choosing NELA and Keion, wow, that was the right move. He gets us guys seen, trained, we are just together as a family. I feel a part of a family here no doubt.”
NELA, that’s where E-Woods chills a lot. They just beat Hillcrest Christian in Arizona and Prolific Prep in Napa, CA. This team slays all on their impressive national schedule, and Justin is the head of the snake spitting out that venom.
Who does Jus listen to in earbuds? G Herbo from Chi town. Dude spits lyrics and game like Jus. Rap song Statement details urban, gritty, inspiring life in the city. Jus is G Herbo, they both rising to the top of the charts.
Feel these lyrics, can you handle the truth people?
“I'm in Cali thinkin' how I come from pissy hallways
Long as I never go back, I'm that nig^^ always (always)
And you know that”
Now we know, we only move forward with Mr Justin Gladney. In a world that tries to fit in, he stands out, he moves different.
That’s why we should be “all in” to see him succeed. Feel me?
