Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Justin Quinn

Jaylen Brown-backed tourney for Donda Academy canceled due to Ye West ties

Star Boston Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown has been working to secure the Donda Academy basketball team opponents after the antisemitic diatribe of its founder, Ye West, has caused many organizations and individuals to distance themselves from the entertainer in recent weeks.

The Celtics star, who himself left Donda Sports talent representation as a result of West’s words, had lined up a tourney with The Skill Factory, a Georgia-based prep squad to be held at Morehouse College, an Atlanta-area HBCU, on Nov. 6. But now, per Floor and Ceiling’s Wilko Martínez-Cachero, that event has been canceled per Cedric Mobley, Morehouse College spokesman.

Brown responded to news of the cancelation, confirmed by the College, by tweeting that it was an “unfortunate retraction” even while “the kids and family appreciate the consideration. Brown also noted he was “currently looking for another solution.”

“The basketball tournament scheduled for Nov. 6th at Forbes Arena, featuring the Donda Doves and The Skill Factory, has been canceled,” began the statement of Morehouse spokesperson Cedric Mobley retweeted by the school that the Boston star referenced.

“We welcome the students and families to visit the campus and encourage them to learn more about how Morehouse singularly prepares men of color for lives of leadership and service by empowering young men who are trustworthy and hold themselves and each other accountable to act with compassion, honesty, and integrity as they build a community with civility.”

“Throughout its history, Morehouse College, perhaps more than any other institution, has stood for social discourse which advances equity and healing, particularly in areas involving race, culture, and socio-economic disparities,” it continued.

“We therefore cannot condone, in perception or implication, the recent divisive and unproductive statements by Ye formerly known as Kanye West,” it closed.

Part of the impetus to cancel the event may be due to Ye West claiming on his Instagram account that “(s)ome establishments still stood up,” perhaps trying to frame the event as a repudiation of the backlash against his comments.

At the time of writing, Brown had not yet found a new location for the tournament.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.