Does Shelomi Sanders know something we don’t?
Can’t shake the question. We’ve tried. For days now.
And yeah, yeah, yeah, the tinfoil types on the Grading The Week team saw the Chip Diller reaction from CU insiders to remain calm. That all is well.
That the reported decision this past week that Shelomi, daughter of Buffs coach Deion Sanders and a reserve on CU’s Sweet 16 women’s basketball program this past season, to enter the transfer portal was strictly a playing-time decision.
That we shouldn’t read into it.
We’ve hemmed. We’ve hawed.
And you know what?
Sorry. Not really buying it.
Prime truthers — C-minus.
Now, to be clear, we’re totally buying the “playing time” part.
The 5-foot-6 guard appeared in just five games for CU this past season, playing 11 minutes total. She took six shots and nailed one, a 3-pointer during a win over Air Force that went viral. The younger Sanders appeared in two games at Jackson State, her previous school.
Which was also her dad’s previous school. And CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ previous school. And Buffs safety Shilo Sanders’ previous school. And two-way football star Travis Hunter’s previous school.
Do you see where we’re going here?
Deion in Boulder was — and always will be — a package deal.
You want me? You get my sons. You want me? You get my daughter on the basketball team. You want me? You get my social media team. You want me? You get my camera crews. And my kids’ camera crews. And you let them go wherever they want. You want me? You get my circle of trust and you give ’em room. You want me? You get my management team, pulling the strings on an FBS athletic department from miles away.
Now for all of GTW’s quibbles with Deion as a football coach, his faith in offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur chief among them, we have far fewer with him as a doting, dedicated dad. When Coach Prime calls himself a Hall-of-Fame parent, it ain’t bragging. He can back it up.
But that’s also why we wouldn’t scoff at Buffs fans for being nervous about seeing a member of Sanders’ family looking to leave CU — even if her role in the future of Buffs football is probably tangential. Wish her well.
Prime wanted this Colorado adventure for his kids, too. Which is cool. Again, Hall-of-Fame-dad stuff.
But let’s be real — it also reminds us that the clock’s ticking.
That other beloved members of the Deion inner circle are certainly seeing their time at CU end later this year in Shedeur, Hunter and Shilo, all of whom are targeting the 2025 NFL draft. The former two are, barring injury, bona fide first-round picks.
Deion’s contract runs through Dec. 31, 2027. Still, some Prime truthers — yes, we have them, too — on the GTW crew pegged 2024 as the last season for The Great Deion Experiment, given the man’s battles with his health and given that Shedeur, Shilo and Hunter will be prepping for the draft at this time next year.
Others argued for beyond these two years, contending that he wouldn’t leave Shelomi, a redshirt freshman, “behind” at CU.
Well, that youngest tie to the 80305 is allegedly shopping for another home now. And if you’re worried that Deion might soon be doing the same, we can’t blame you.
Although Coach Prime proves us wrong, team GTW will happily cover his breakfast tab over at The Village Coffee Shop. If Deion’s still bossing the Buffs in April 2026, the grits are on us.