Kanye West’s anti-Semitic comments have not only cost him in terms of reputation and sponsors, but it’s impacted Donda Academy as well. West’s K-12 private school in California that bears the name of his late mother will not be allowed to play its basketball team in the Play by Play Classics according to reports.
Play by Play Classics is one of the top high school basketball event showcases in the country. They announced on Tuesday afternoon that they were dropping Donda Academy from a scheduled game in Kentucky on December 11th.
“Kanye’s words and actions violate our values as a company and a country and what we seek to ensure at all of our events — a spirit of diversity, sportsmanship, inclusion, equity and mutual respect,” said tournament organizers via statement.
This prestigious tournament has hosted NBA stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant in the past when they were high school stars.
“I’ve been doing this 23 years … this is nothing anybody wants to be a part of,” said tournament founder Jeremy Treatman.
It’s toxic to be associated with West.
Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald and Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown both left West’s Donda Sports agency on Tuesday.
“In the past 24 hours, I’ve been able to reflect and better understand how my previous statements lack clarity in expressing my stance against recent insensitive public remarks and actions,” Brown said Tuesday in a statement he released via Twitter. “For that, I apologize. And in this, I seek to be as clear as possible. I have always, and will always, continue to stand strongly against any antisemitism, hate speech, misrepresentation, and oppressive rhetoric of any kind.
“In light of that, after sharing in conversations, I now recognize that there are times when my voice and my position can’t coexist in spaces that don’t correspond with my stance or my values. And, for that reason, I am terminating my association with Donda Sports.”
The City of Palms Classic is another prestigious high school tourney. It is located in Fort Myers, Florida. As for now, Donda Academy is still scheduled to play.
“Obviously, the uproar hasn’t sat well with anybody, but at the end of the day, these are really good kids,” said John Naylor, the City of Palms Classic executive director. “We aren’t asking Kanye West to be on the floor, we are asking the kids to be on the floor. We invited the team, not Kanye.
“If indeed [Donda] starts to fall apart, if indeed players start transferring, we’ll revisit the decision.”
As of Thursday morning it doesn’t appear that there is anything to discuss. UK based The Times has learned that Donda Academy is shutting down immediately.
🔺 EXCLUSIVE: Parents whose children attend Kanye West’s school in Southern California have been told it has closed with immediate effect https://t.co/f4K233GNoq
— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) October 27, 2022
“I remain true to the mission of Donda and our amazing staff and community,” said Brown. “I remain committed to bringing new ideas, experiences, and designs to our world I remain in support of the humanity that is Ye.”
There is no room in a civilized society for racist, anti-Semitic, and/or hate speech. It should be denounced and rooted out immediately.
