Deion Sanders is having a proud father moment, and the center of happiness this time is not his sons but his daughter, Shelomi Sanders. The youngest of the Sanders family graduated from Alabama A&M, officially becoming an HBCU graduate. Coach Prime posted a picture with a heartfelt caption for his daughter, declaring her his favorite. But before people could jump in with any speculation, the latest graduate in the family clarified the matter.
‘My baby girl got her degree! Wow! I’m proud of all my children, but @shelomisanders is my FAVORITE one,” read Coach Prime’s caption, praising Shelomi.
Shelomi seems to have inherited her father’s sense of humor. The first comment under the coach’s post was from her, who stayed clear of any stealing allegations people might make against her, given that Deion Sanders is very particular about choosing a ‘favorite’ among his children.
“Be calm, everyone. I didn’t steal his phone, y’all. I’m the fav fr we knew this, though,” read the comment by Shelomi.
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It is easier to believe that Shelomi might have put up the caption herself, as on various occasions she has claimed to be the “favorite child.” When a video surfaced of the two running a 1.3-mile together, she started with, “Hello, favorite child here,” while her father sat back and agreed, chiming in with, “I’m proud.”
Coach Prime often loudly and clearly cheered for his daughter from the stands at the basketball stadium, and he took to the internet to show his pride in her.
“Surprised my Babygirl @shelomisanders yesterday at Alabama A&M! It was epic, and they won. The HBCU atmosphere was all that. Dr. Bryant, thank u helping me make yesterday happen for my baby! Love all y’all that showed me love. God bless,” said Coach Prime.
A rare public reunion between Deion Sanders and Pilar Sanders also drew attention during the graduation ceremony, as both proudly attended to support their daughter.
Shelomi’s Collegiate journey
Shelomi graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Sports Management. Her journey has been inspiring as she suffers from type 1 diabetes, diagnosed at the age of 13. But it did not slow her down; rather, it pushed her even more towards her passion for basketball.
“It’s definitely not for the weak,” Sanders said of being a college athlete with diabetes. “Being diagnosed at a young age and just going through all the adversity, it’s really helped me with responsibility and all of that. Being an athlete with it, it helps to have just a great training staff, coaches, and teammates that just support me and that are there for me.”
It was a double celebration at the Sanders’ residence, as a week before Shelomi’s graduation, Shedeur also threw his graduation cap in the air. Shelomi started her journey at Jackson State in 2022 alongside her brother, Shedeur. She was a recruit from Rockwall-Heath High School and appeared in two games for Jackson State.
The next pit stop in her college journey was Colorado, following her father after he got hired as the head coach. She joined the Buffalo basketball team, where she did not get enough playtime, and was about to quit basketball when she entered the transfer portal.
“There wasn’t enough being poured into me as a player and young lady. If I didn’t leave when I did, I promise you I would’ve quit,” she said. Deion also praised her decision. “She made a tremendous decision,” Deion Sanders said. “I’m proud of her.”
Shelomi started a new journey at Alabama A&M and returned to the HBCU space. It also allowed her to further develop her game while remaining deeply connected to the culture, pride, and close-knit community that define HBCU athletics. Although she graduated, her basketball journey is still ongoing. She is set to play for Colorado State-Pueblo, a Division II program.
