Although Shelomi Sanders left Colorado to carve her own career path, moving back to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), she kept following her father, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders’ mantra. Her tribute to Coach Prime for Black History Month made it clear that this mantra is what always motivates her.
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“Black history is American history, and one thing about my dad, Prime Time Deion Sanders, is that he represents confidence, determination, and impact. In other words, he is history,” said Shelomi in her tribute to Deion through a video clip shared on her Instagram on Sunday. “This black history month, I’m trying one of his iconic quotes, ‘Baby, if you look good, you feel good. And if you feel good, you play good. And if you play good, baby, you get paid good.'”
Shelomi’s basketball career highlights that she takes Deion Sanders’ mantra seriously, but that mantra is more than just a catchphrase. It was more of a cultural shift during an era when athletes were often expected to fall in line and conform. Sanders decided to introduce an unapologetic flair and confidence rooted deep in African-American culture.
“For me, this quote means showing up with intention every single day, with purpose and consistency, and most importantly, believing yourself regardless if anyone else does or doesn’t. This quote is a reminder that confidence, discipline, and presence matter,” Deion Sanders’ daughter added.
Deion Sanders was critical when he learned about his daughter’s decision to leave Colorado. However, Shelomi’s decision to thrive at Alabama A&M is an indication of Coach Prime’s impact on HBCU athletics. His daughter found her worth in a historically African-American institution and is living out the unapologetic excellence her father championed when he put Jackson State University on the map.
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Shelomi Sanders’s commitment to show up with a purpose while maintaining consistency is paying off. And that’s not happening just inside the basketball court, but also in the life she’s building in Alabama. Deion Sanders called her move “stupid,” but just like her father, she remained confident in her own abilities, achieving a career high of 14 points against Oakwood in 2024 after returning to HBCU.
Shelomi has even battled issues catering to health, Type 1 diabetes, when she was just 13 years old, and won. Now, the 22-year-old is a mentor and ambassador for Dexcom U, advocating for college athletes with diabetes. Throughout all this, Coach Prime’s motivation stayed with her, and last season, she appeared in 14 games, racking up 1.2 PPG. While her professional and advocacy work takes center stage, Sanders is also finding happiness in her personal life, which has recently drawn attention from fans.
Shelomi Sanders’ surprising Valentine’s Day
Shelomi Sanders is embracing the life she sought after leaving Colorado, finding ‘good’ energy in both her professional and personal life. Last December, she officially revealed her boyfriend, Myles Slusher. The youngest daughter of Deion Sanders, just a week ago, celebrated her first public Valentine’s Day with Slusher, a former Colorado player, in style after an intense practice session.
In a candid Instagram story snap, Shelomi was seen with bouquets draped across her arms and boxes of sweets in her lap. “Flowers and chocolate after practice,” she wrote, tagging Slusher.
That surprise wasn’t the end of the story for Shelomi, as her mom, Pilar Sanders, added to the Valentine’s haul. Posing alongside teammate Tre’Miyah Berry, Deion’s daughter summed it up simply, writing, “We got surprised.” The support from both Slusher and her mother highlights the new foundation she’s building in Alabama, one that’s fueling her ambitions on the court.
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