High school basketball: Kanye West's Donda Academy closing, several high-profile prospects in limbo

Multiple media outlets are reporting Thursday that Donda Academy in Simi Valley, Calif., a school founded by Kanye West, is closing for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year immediately. Parents were informed Wednesday evening.

Earlier this week, adidas announced it was ending its relationship with Kanye West due to his recent anti-Semitic comments. Shortly after, a pair of high school basketball events – the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts and Play-By-Play Classic in Kentucky – dropped Donda Academy from their showcases scheduled for this season.

The Donda Academy basketball program was successful in attracting elite talent, including five-star point guard prospect Robert Dillingham, a native of North Carolina, and Chicago forward Javonte Taylor. That pair, in addition to several others, will now be looking for a new home this winter.

Though the Doves played a full season last winter, the school itself didn't actually open until this fall. Rolling Stone reported last month that Donda Academy is not accredited, costs $15,000 per year to attend and multiple families were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements.