DUNCANVILLE, Texas — Before Deja Kelly returned to The University of North Carolina for her junior year, she was at Duncanville High School hosting a camp for young, aspiring basketball players trying to pave their own path to the next level. 

What You Need To Know

  • Deja Kelly, a junior guard for the University of North Carolina, returned to her alma mater to host her inaugural DK25 EmPOWERment camp for young, aspiring female athletes

  • The five-star guard was the No. 1 girls basketball recruit in the state of Texas and helped Duncanville High School clinch the 2020 State Championship

  • Kelly has been one of the most successful athletes to navigate the NIL landscape, forging deals with Dunkin’ Donuts, Forever 21, Beats by Dre and many more

 

“My goal is to go to the WNBA,” seventh grade camper Jordan Lewis said. 

“Just being able to be at [Deja’s] camp with all these other women is very motivating,” Duncanville senior guard, Victoria Flores, said.

The inaugural DK25 EmPOWERment camp is something Kelly and her family spent months preparing.

“Being able to give back to the community I grew up in has been the most rewarding part,” Kelly said. “I love how I can teach the younger generation of girls who aspire to play collegiate basketball.”

These days, that entails a lot more than what you do on the court. It’s about branding, nutrition, financial literacy and navigating the uncharted waters of name, image and likeness deals.

“I think you get to build your own foundation through NIL,” said Kelly. “It’s about what you want and what you want to portray.”

The camp was broken down into two separate sections: one portion involved developing basketball skills, while the other focused on growing one’s brand.

“As [Kelly] explained, her Instagram is a mix of cute pictures and her basketball journey,” said Flores. “Then her TikTok is used to show her personality more.”

Kelly has over 169,000 followers on Instagram and over 315,000 followers on TikTok. Her social media presence is growing by the day, but her parents remember a different side to her.

“She was the quietest kid growing up. Like she used to whisper words,” said Kelly’s mother Theresa Nunn. “So to see her blossom into the young woman she is has been amazing. That’s why it was so important for us to make sure this wasn’t just a camp, it was an empowerment camp.”

Kelly was that light for so many campers. But her confidence and passion for the game stems from her parents, who both played college basketball. 

“I was always known for my work ethic. I was never the most athletic, but I was a dog,” Nunn said. “So I instilled that in my kids as well. When I explained what being a queen is to her, that was always part of it.”

Eventually Kelly wants to be a sideline reporter for ESPN. But before that time comes, she has some business to take care of on the basketball court.

“The WNBA has always been a goal of mine,” Deja said. “I’ve been working for that since third grade and I’m still working toward that goal.”

For now, she’s a Tar Heel and will be back in Duncanville next year for the second edition to the DK25 Empowerment Camp.