We’re just days away from bringing you live coverage of the West Coast Elite Spring Classic in Las Vegas, which will take place April 22-24 at Bishop Gorman High School. FloHoops will be on the scene to stream all games from Court 1.

Coach Donley Minor, who works with all divisions in the Earl Watson Elite club, recently sat down to give us some insight on the West Coast Elite/Earl Watson Elite organization as well as what players to watch for at the West Coast Elite Spring Classic. Check it out below!

FloHoops: How did you get into coaching AAU Basketball?
Coach Minor: Because of my son. My son played high school and AAU Basketball and ultimately received a scholarship to play at Lamar University. That inspired me to bring that freedom to other players and the ability to receive more scholarships through more exposure throughout the summer.

Did you have a mentor?
Yes, Mike Lewis of Nike California Hoops. He showed me how to recruit high-level players and how to interact with them and their families.

How so?
You have to show not only the players respect, but also their parents. If the parents aren’t on your side, the players won’t be either. We promote a family environment.

Who are some kids to watch for on your 17U Under Armour team?
Ira Lee. He’s being scouted by everyone in the country and has numerous offers. Another one is Jamal Baker, who is currently committed to Cal. He’s a point guard with a great jumpshot. Another is Reed Farley, an extremely intelligent individual. Farley possesses a 4.8 GPA, starts on our best team, and wants to go to an Ivy League school.

The Under Armour team is going to be in Indy this weekend. Who are some kids to look out for at the WCE Spring Classic?
All of them. We have talented kids on our 17U Gold and Silver teams. One is Marvin Bragg Jr., a 6-6 small forward with great physical abilities who plays hard and runs the floor very well. Another is Tristen Hull, a 6-7 talent. Hull has received a lot of offers from mid-major universities.


Do you have any seniors playing?
Yes, we have Grant Arthur and Luka Radovic. Grant is a 6-3 guard who can shoot the lights out and owns a 4.03 GPA. He’s currently getting looked at by Liberty and Boston University. He’s looking to go to a highly academic institution while playing basketball. Radovic is a 6-9 forward who is very athletic with a 3.7 GPA.


You’re talking a lot about GPA and academics. Can you go more in detail about the values your promote?
At Earl Watson Elite, we promote a 40-year plan. We want these kids to think about the future. The basketball is going to stop dribbling one day — what are you going to do when that time comes? There’s life after basketball, and we want to make sure our kids are prepared when that time comes. To promote academics, we hand out awards for players with high GPAs.

Besides academic awards, are there any other initiatives to promote values?
We require all of our coaches to have day jobs to show that basketball isn’t everything.

Why is the West Coast Elite Spring Classic important?
It’s our first time running a big event in Las Vegas. We want to show that we’re a top program with a top event. Las Vegas is a great spot to have the Spring Classic because it gives teams a chance to travel in the early AAU season to a place where coaches like to be.