NELA Prep and Keion Kindred: Be Remembered, Be Great!
Sitting in a NELA practice is more like taking in a master’s course in advanced hoop-ology, it’s filled with the passionate pursuit of playing the game taught the right way.
Many call NELA head coach Keion Kindred The Gatekeeper of LA because of his vast connections to pro agents and clients across the globe.
His friend Rob Valentine, a pro trainer himself, and a few others call Keion Keyz. Keion preaches the values of correct basketball, it’s the ethos of his training company CLC “Consistency Leads to Currency.”
Keion is not just James Harden’s trainer, this man didn’t just win a chip in the Drew League with his team Redemption. Keyz is about much more than that. He actually cares about all lil bros all around the world. 100.
Keion played at Compton Dominguez with Tyson Chandler and was recruited by UCONN, Michigan State, Oklahoma St, and Georgia Tech.
Only 2 major surgeries on his right knee (a micro-fracture and torn ACL) stopped him from being that guy in the L.
Dude would’ve been LeBron no doubt.
But 18 years later after a Master’s in human development, countless stops around the world checking in on his pro clients, he decided to establish NELA, a boys prep and post grad pro program in LA with a national schedule.
He established NELA along with friend Lawrence who played at Westchester High who said, “Keion reminded me that if we help kids, we’ll see them get better and we’ll grow ourselves as individuals. I’m all for that.”
They have poured themselves into coaching at NELA because the kids need good mentorship, and they want to give of their time and resources to make youngsters’ dreams come true. Altruism is alive and well.
The kids see Keyz as a dad figure. Where are all the kids from this team from? It’s like the UN, people. NELA is based in Glendale but the players come from Russia, Estonia, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, NorCal, like 10 US cities. You starting to feel the vibe?
The kids are starting to ride this Keion wave fosho. Their winning record, it’s like Snoop Dogg said, “Murda was the case that they gave me.”
It was jumper after jumper on display this past season for NELA, it was “rat a tat tat.” Smoke in the room, clear it, next game people, rinse, repeat. Slash to the rim, protect yo neck people. Yikes!
The reader might be saying, E-Woods, what do you know of good coaches or players? It’s like Kanye says, “We ain't goin' nowhere, but got suits and cases.” That’s NELA, they ain’t going anywhere but rising to to the top, one victory at a time. 2021 is over, 2022 will be legend I suspect indeed!
So, what do I know of good coaches or players? I’ve seen coaches like Steve Smith of Oak Hill Academy, Keyz played against him and won. I wrote S-Smith’s story a few years ago. I’ve seen Andre Chevalier coach ever since 2003, even did his daughter Ashley’s feature story. “Beni-Hana” I called it. I’ve known the esteemed Ed Azzam of Westchester High since 2003.
And I know that NELA can compete with the best LA programs, no problem.
I once gave Brandon Jennings a Westchester jersey with Hassan Adams name on the back in 03’. Dudes like B should be lining up to play for a real one school like NELA all day long.
I loved Harvey Kitani when he was the coach at Fairfax for so many years. I recommended players go to his program. The truth? No prep program can do for kids what NELA can because they don’t have a Keion Kindred who is far and away the best coach I’ve ever seen from his knowledge of X’s and O’s.
His heart and fire for the game is like Tim Grover’s. Who’s Tim Grover? That’s MJ’s and Kobe’s trainer. Keyz learned under him.
Vibe this man’s IG, see his coaching at Nike Air West open runs, or he and lifelong friend Chris Young at the Jr Drew, or Keion coaching at the Women’s Drew League. Mr Keion Kindred is Ray Lewis level respected from those that matter. He is that Mt. Rushmore of LA Hoops fame indeed.
Keion could be a coach or trainer for an NBA pro team. But the kids need him and he pours himself into them with everything he’s got.
Feel his energy in this quote, “There was no book on how to coach 20 young men that I could find. It’s been a challenge but these boys have dedicated themselves to the grind and I’m dedicated to making them better people through basketball.
"We finished 2020 with a 19-1 record (high school 10-0, post grad 9-1) and I’m looking forward to what 2021 brings.”
Here’s a feature I did on Steve Smith of Oak Hill Academy, who told me he enjoyed coaching against Keion when Keyz was just a player back in the early 2000’s.
Oak Hill Academy: Relationships, Fraternity, Family - CaliforniaPreps.com
Now let’s hear it from each kid, what they appreciate about the brotherhood that is NELA prep. These guys have come from like 10 different US cities, as far away as Croatia and Russia to play for NELA. It’s like that, ride the wave, feel the vision.
I did Shareef O’Neal’s story his junior year, peep it:
Shareef O'Neal: He's Got Game – CaliforniaPreps.com
In another O’Neal feature story, I gave each kid at Crossroads a chance to say a quick thing they appreciated. We’ll do the same here:
-Grigori Prokopovich from Russia said “The energy is good. I listen, I get better. My dream is the NBA.”
-Jakobe Thompson from Milwaukee said “Everyone supports each other. We just want to get to college. I’m going to be a business major.”
-Lado Lako from Winnipeg said “The weather is warm here; I go where the opportunity is.”
Take a break from hearing these kids’ dreams and see them play. Their game and style of play is fire!
More quotes:
-Ezekiel Spann Birmingham, AL said “I love our effort.” -Mason Hudnall Oakland, CA said “I hope to get offers like UNLV. I like the coaching staff.”
-Easten Grey Chicago, IL said “ I love our good chemistry, we all do whatever it takes!”
-Justin Gladney Los Angeles, CA said “Being tuff means we all stick together.”
-Christian Oliver Oxnard, CA said “We have lots of talent, work hard, to just be the best we can.”
- Justyn Hunter Los Angeles, CA said “We Tuff, do whatever it takes to win.”
-Marvel Chambers Long Island, NY said “I appreciate the opportunity to go D1. I just want respect.”
-Kalil Camara Philadelphia, PA said “It’s finding that fit, coming into the light. I’ll follow my dream!”
-Shaquil Bender Philadelphia, PA said “I like to play up and down, I’m good and capable.”
-Kevin Siakam Gainesville, VA said “We all hang together, get to have fun, get better, go to the beach, just get better.”
-Felix Reeves Jr. Las Vegas, NV said “I just want to get better as a 5th year player, get stronger, get more offers.”
-Christian Glemaud Las Vegas, NV said “I like the situation we got, our secret sauce is we play together.”