One day of regularity in the eccentric life of Deion Sanders. That’s all CFB fans ask for. Coach Prime has been pivotal in molding the fortunes of the Colorado Buffaloes. Adjacent to his coaching duties, he’s been known to be a stand-up father. With as many as 5 kids, you’d be forgiven to think he funnels his love equally. By Deion’s own accord, that is not the case. He has his “favorites”. To make it more partisan, they seemingly keep changing!

Less than a fortnight ago, Prime acknowledged his oldest son, Deion Jr., as his favourite in the lot. Junior’s escapades on the media front have been a revelation amongst his athlete siblings. They say change is the only constant, and Deion Sanders lives by exactly that. On the occasion of daughter Shelomi’s birthday, Deion handed over the proverbial crown to her.

“Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Blessed Blessed Blessed Blessed Blessed Birthday to my FAVORITE CHILD @shelomisanders “BOSSY” ! I’m so Proud of u babygirl & I pray for u consistently. Continue to walk with your head up and smile thru life knowing that God has u covered and Daddy got u as well. Soar Baby Soar. I got u a similar gift like the 1 u got me so Happy Blessed Peaceful Birthday. DABOO DABOO DABOO!” he wrote on IG in a congratulatory post.

The last few months of their relationship have been a little tumultuous after Shelomi left Colorado in pursuit of opportunities elsewhere. This is a proponent of how the equation is mending. The “Sanders” name on the back of your jersey can often weigh heavy. While Shedeur has largely escaped issues, the same cannot be said for Shilo’s escapades. Away from the gridiron and into the hardwood, Shelomi has seen her fair share of peaks and troughs. 

Shelomi was a part of the Colorado Buffaloes’ basketball program last season before her decision to enter the transfer portal, much to the dismay of her father. “It was stupid” said Deion rather bluntly at the time. Shelomi too had moved over to Boulder along with her father and brothers from Jackson State. She now finds herself separate from her far away at Alabama A&T, without her father casting a shadow on her. With how this decision turns out, there’s no surprise in Deion’s decree that Shelomi is his favorite.

Shelomi’s career is thriving after diverging away from Deion Sanders

Shelomi played in a measly 5 games for the Buffaloes all of last season. She garnered a grand total of 11 minutes in those. Clearly, her career was on the cusp of stagnation. A move to Alabama A&M has breathed life into her young career. She’s seeing the court much more and filling the box-score with her opportunities. 

“I don’t want to say anything too bad. It just wasn’t good energy. It wasn’t good vibes. 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 [basketball]”, Shelomi said upon her exit. Deion didn’t quite agree with this decision at the time, but his stance is evidently softening.

They say time heals all sorts of wounds. That appears to be the case in this father-daughter relationship. As polarizing as Deion Sanders is, his love for his children is irrefutable. Seeing Shelomi thrive in her new situation was bound to make him proud. Naturally, she has snatched the verdict of being labelled his favorite kid away from Deion Jr.  But as with any story involving the Sanders, expect twists.