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Kanye West personally Facetimed an NBA prospect to lure him to his unaccredited Donda Academy, the athlete’s father has claimed.
Donald Dillingham exclusively told DailyMail.com of his despair over his basketball prodigy son Robert, 17, ditching Combine Academy in North Carolina for the California school after the rapper’s tempting video call.
The devastated dad slammed the school and claimed it was trying to ‘cash in’ on the youngster’s talent.
It comes as Donda Academy has been tossed into turmoil amid West’s spree of anti-Semitic rants.
On Wednesday it announced it would be shuttering immediately for the remainder of the school year at West’s request, only for parents to say it would remain open.
West’s empire has continued to crumble in recent days due to his vile anti-Semitic outbursts, which include claims ‘Jewish people’ in the media conspired against him, and planned parenthood controlled black populations through genocidal abortions.
Donald Dillingham exclusively told DailyMail.com of his despair over his basketball prodigy son Robert, 17, ditching Combine Academy in North Carolina for the California school after the rapper’s tempting video call
The devastated dad (left) slammed the school and claimed it was trying to ‘cash in’ on the youngster’s talent (right)
It comes as Donda Academy (pictured yesterday) has been tossed into turmoil amid West’s spree of anti-Semitic rants
Dillingham told DailyMail.com of his dismay when he found out his son was ditching Combine Academy to travel across the country and play for the unaccredited Donda.
‘I thought [Rob] was in a great situation,’ Dillingham said. ‘Look how that worked out.’
Donda was opened just this past August, and its future remains in question. Without accreditation, it is unclear whether colleges will accept degrees from the school.
Dillingham told DailyMail.com about how West personally facetimed his son and allegedly put him on the spot.
‘He [West] said, ”what’re you gonna do?” If you’re a sixteen-year-old and somebody like Kanye West asks you that…’
In Facebook posts last year, Dillingham expressed outrage at the position West put his son in by asking him ‘to make a decision on the spot.’
‘Of course Rob with his sixteen-year-old mind, would say ‘yes’.’ Of course Rob with his sixteen-year-old mind, would say ‘yes.” Dillingham wrote.
Dillingham said trainers from Donda intentionally ‘created a wedge’ between him and Rob, and persuaded him ‘with the promise of money.’
‘What was the pull for Rob to leave a perfect situation and move across the country to a school that is not even open?’
Dillingham told DailyMail.com of his dismay when he found out his son was ditching Combine Academy to travel across the country and play for the unaccredited Donda
Robert has committed to playing for Kentucky when he graduates but is expected to miss a few games for Donda due to the fallout over West’s remarks
Robert has committed to playing for Kentucky when he graduates but is expected to miss a few games for Donda due to the fallout over West’s remarks.
Asked if he was leaving the academy early, he told the New York Times in a text: ‘No the school is not shut down that is for the kids has nothing to do with us.’
Donda Academy has recruited top basketball talent from across the nation’s high schools, and houses the students in luxury apartment buildings with chaperones.
But those recruits had some of their prospects dashed this week as a result of West’s behavior, after the team found itself booted from the prestigious Scholastic Play-By-Play Classics tournament.
Tournament representatives said West’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.’
Tournament expressed its remorse that West’s behavior cost his students the experience of participating in the coveted competition.
‘While we are firm in our reasoning for this decision, it does not diminish our heartache and regret for Donda’s hardworking athletes who will lose out the most as a result of Kanye’s actions,’ the school added.
‘Unfortunately, we cannot in good conscience host an organization founded and directed by Mr. West at our events.’
Also this week, Boston Celtics player Jaylen Brown – who was sponsored by Donda Sport and previously paid visits to the school – dropped his affiliation with West.
Donda Academy has recruited top basketball talent from across the nation’s high schools, and houses the students in luxury apartment buildings with chaperones
But those recruits had some of their prospects dashed this week as a result of West’s behavior, after the team found itself booted from the prestigious Scholastic Play-By-Play Classics tournament
A note on Donda Academy yesterday made it appear the school had been shuttered
Angell emailed parents on Wednesday announcing the school’s closure for the remainder of the school year.
‘At the discretion of our founder, Donda Academy will close for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year effective immediately, he wrote.
‘There is no school tomorrow [Thursday].’
Angell noted that the school’s leadership would help parents and students transition into their new school, and added that the Donda would begin ‘afresh’ in September 2023.
Angell emailed parents on Wednesday announcing the school’s closure for the remainder of the school year (pictured, the basketball team)
Donda Academy announced it would be reopening its doors on Thursday, just hours after the principal said the school would shutter for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year
Parents at the exclusive Christian school received an email near midnight on Wednesday explaining that the school would be ‘returning with a vengeance,’ the following morning, a hard U-turn from a message they received just hours earlier from school administrators
Donda Academy announced it would be reopening its doors on Thursday, just hours after the principal said the school would shutter for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year.
Parents at the exclusive Christian school received an email near midnight on Wednesday explaining that the school would be ‘returning with a vengeance,’ the following morning, a hard U-turn from a message they received just hours earlier from school administrators.
Hours earlier on Wednesday, Academy Principal Jason Angell sent an email to parents explaining that West had decided to close the school ‘effective immediately,’ with classes being cancelled as of Thursday.
‘At the discretion of our founder, Donda Academy will close for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year effective immediately, he wrote.
Angell noted that the school’s leadership would help parents and students transition into their new school.
But an internal email from ‘Parents of Donda’ obtained by TMZ told a much different story.
‘Join us tomorrow morning in worship for the return of Donda Academy,’ the email read. With the help of our parents and community, we are back and returning with a vengeance!’
‘The children of Donda are going to change the world,’ the message added.’ Apologies for the late email! See you bright and early!’
It is unclear whether the school itself is reopening in an official capacity, or whether parents and staff are taking it upon themselves to continue educating their children.
Students at West’s Donda Academy wear black Balenciaga uniforms designed by West himself. Above, Celtics basketball player Jaylen Brown pays a visit to the school
The school enrolls about 100 students and 16 teachers, with a number of students being the children of celebrities
The curriculum has a strong focus on Christianity, the arts, and math and science. Students can take parkour as a physical activity, and the school has a strong high school basketball program
The exclusive pre-K through 12 school – named after West’s mother, Donda – is located in a secret location in the Simi Valley just north of Los Angeles, and charges $15,000 per student. About half the student body receives financial aid and scholarships, according to The Post.
The school enrolls about 100 students and employees 16 teachers. Parents sign a non-disclosure agreement to keep the school’s location secret and to say nothing about it.
There are reportedly a number of celebrities’ children in attendance – including R&B singer Keyshia Cole’s son Daniel – and the school is well known for its high-powered basketball team. Rising star Robert Dillingham, 17, plays for the school, and NBA players like Celtics player Jaylen Brown have made appearances at the school.
Students wear all black Balenciaga uniforms and Yeezy shoes designed by West himself.
Despite running the school, West’s children do not attend, and he have clashed with Kim Kardashian on the matter.
West previously complained on social media that Kim wouldn’t agree to send their four children for ‘[two] days at one school, three days at another.’
As of September the school had not yet been accredited, according to the New York Post, which means colleges might not accept diplomas from the school.
The Donda Academy website states that the school’s goal is ‘to provide the youth with the passion, purpose and spiritual foundations they need to thrive in tomorrow’s world.’
The curriculum has a strong focus on Christianity, the arts, and math and science. Students can take parkour as a physical activity, and the school has a strong high school basketball program.
