The Sanders family is making quite the impression in the world of collegiate sports.
You've probably heard of Deion, the Pro Football Hall of Famer whose arrival at Colorado has changed the face of college football. Or perhaps you know Shedeur and Shilo, offensive and defensive stars who have shined for the new-look Buffaloes since arriving in Boulder.
But Shelomi? Well, she has strayed away from the spotlight for much of her young career. A budding star on the hardwood, Shelomi's career up to this point has been mercurial.
But as she prepares for her first full season with the No. 20 Buffs, perhaps it's time to take a deep dive into just how she got here.
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So, without further ado, here's what you need to know about Shelomi, the latest Sanders scion to pop up in the Rocky Mountains.
Who is Shelomi Sanders?
Hailing from the first family of college sports, it's unsurprising that Shelomi has ended up in the game. As the youngest of Sanders' five children, Shelomi was her dad's self-proclaimed "heart." And yet, it was through hard-nosed competition with older brothers Shedeur and Shiloh that the youngster, affably known as "Bossy" for her domineering yet endearing personality, began to show signs of liveliness on the hardwood.
“We all kind of played the same sports,” Shelomi said, per the Aurora Sentinel. “I like to say I was the best athlete of the family. I was. I played a little football back in the day. They played basketball, too. I feel like it made me tougher competing with them. It was always competition in the house.”
Shelomi Sanders high school
Shelomi announced herself as a real talent in the friendly confines of her family home. So when she got on the court on Rockwall-Heath High School in Rockwall, Texas, Sanders felt right as home.
Shelomi strutted her stuff, showcasing a real penchant for the 3-point shot during her time in high school. She knocked down countless jumpers, striking fear into the heart of opposition defenses with textbook form.
Her impressive performances for the Hawks earned her admirers. And soon, she was joining her father and brothers at Jackson State.
Shelomi appeared in two games for the Tigers early last season, playing a total of nine minutes. Things changed in the months following her arrival, with Deion, Shedeur and Shilo trading Jackson State blue for Buffaloes gold.
Boulder would soon come knocking for Shelomi as well.
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“I’m a freshman and a female, so they weren’t gonna leave me in Jackson with the whole family coming over,” she said. “Then, I was blessed with an opportunity to be a part of the team, so it all just worked out perfectly fine.”
She walked onto Colorado partway through her freshman year. As such, she had to take a redshirt, an opportunity she says has helped her game tremendously.
“I feel like it’s a huge benefit,” she said. “I can use that to my advantage, getting stronger in the weight room and just developing my skill with practicing and putting up extra shots and stuff; learning the offense, defense. Just really sticking my foot in there.”
There's no certainty that Shelomi will be a primary part of this year's roster. Head coach JR Payne has more than a few options at her disposal; the Buffaloes are entering into the 2023-24 campaign as the No. 20 team in the country.
But Shelomi wants to help in any way she can.
“I just give out energy and you know, I’m always gonna smile, always gonna bring good vibes, always gonna laugh,” Bossy said. “That’s just me being me.”
Shelomi Sanders diabetes
In addition to making waves on the hardwood, Shelomi has been a symbol of strength and persistence off the floor, as well. The 19-year-old not only is a budding basketball talent. She also lives with Type I diabetes, joining the likes of Jordan Morris, Nacho, Kaapo Kakko and others as sportspeople to have overcome the disease.
It hasn't been easy. Even her beloved family has struggled to understand the ins and outs of her diagnosis.
“It’s hard, because it’s just you dealing with all this, but then you have these outside voices like my parents, my brothers, other family members saying you need to do this or that and it’s like, just chill,” Shelomi said.
“I don’t know if they will ever understand that sometimes we have low days and sometimes we have good days. On the low days, I feel like it’s really hard just to be understood that hey, I need a break! But, again, you can’t take a break with this.”
Still, Shelomi keeps plugging away. Hopefully, her success will serve as a catalyst to remind the masses that that they are worthy of respect, love and admiration.
Shelomi Sanders stats
Sanders' stats are fairly underwhelming. But there is a caveat to it. She played in just two games last year with Jackson State. In those two games, here are her averages:
| Year | Games played | Points per game | Rebounds per game | Assists per game | Steals per game |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
