“I started playing basketball later than most kids on the scene…I started in the 6th grade, playing in the YMCA league and also on the middle school A team. I got decent playing time, but not enough to get the exposure that I needed to fulfill my dreams of playing collegiate basketball. AAU, especially Legacy Hoops (43 Hoops when I started), made it all possible! I started with the club going into my freshman year of high school. The program made sure we had the right practice setup, teaching enough and inspiring us enough to work on our own outside of AAU. I worked with a trainer who I was actually introduced to through the club, Ebony Rich, one of the coaches for a different team in the program. I did all I could to make sure I was the best I could be and ready to rise up to any occasion. With many workouts and training (largely through Legacy Hoops’ workouts and camps), I became the player I always wanted to become! Although I played in high school, things weren’t always so smooth, but I could always look forward to my AAU season! In my junior year of AAU, playing in meticulously selected tournaments, I started to get a lot more exposure, and with the help of the club, especially Demondi Johnson, I racked up a few big-time offers! I am now a college student athlete playing at a high-level D2 program at Minnesota State University Moorhead! Thank you, Demondi and Legacy Hoops, for everything!“
Ayelishka Teko Folly (2024 Graduate, Minnesota State University Moorhead)
“At a time when I was searching for a basketball family, Legacy Hoops was the only club that welcomed me with open arms. During my six years of AAU basketball, I had coaches who were dedicated to developing my skills – but at Legacy, I found something even more special: coaches who were wanting to develop me as a player AND person. I am incredibly grateful to the coaches who not only helped me grow as a player but also guided me in making the right decisions for my future after AAU basketball. I can confidently say that I am happy, successful, and in the right place today because of their belief in me, both on and off the court.”
Delaney Hoke (2021 Graduate, American University Managing Sports Editor)
“I started going to Legacy Hoops to train in the 3rd grade. My dad would sign me up for sessions 2-3 times a week and each time I entered the gym I would receive the biggest hug from Demondi or Rah, from the very moment I started training at Legacy I was treated like family. They pushed me harder each and every time I entered that gym and wouldn’t let me leave until I gave it my all, because they always knew there was something more to give. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school I started playing with the program and it was the best decision I have ever made. My AAU coach and Demondi encouraged me to become a better athlete and person through my summer and guided me to commit to play basketball at my #1 school, United States Coast Guard Academy. None of what I am doing now would be possible without Legacy Hoops.”
Dorothy Stotts (2022 Graduate, United Coast Guard Basketball)
“Coach Johnson, is the real deal. He looks out for his athletes first! He doesn’t stop working with them even after they leave the Legacy Hoops Program. He helped our daughter obtain a full-ride scholarship out of high school and out of the transfer portal. He is networked in with colleges across the country and his opinion and insight matters to collegiate coaches. One of the best to ever do it!”
Will Finley (AAU Parent)