We’re proud to highlight Phoenix Giant Deontae Mcinnis as Gentle Giant’s Athlete of the Month for February!
Deontae played both football and basketball throughout high school at Desert Heights Prep in Glendale, Arizona, winning an impressive six state championships in the CAA league: three in basketball and three in football.
Deontae began playing basketball competitively in high school after he was encouraged to join the team as a way to build his fitness and coordination during the football offseason. He remembers that during his freshman year, the team wasn’t allowed to shoot from outside the paint because his coach wanted them to focus on learning the fundamentals. The approach paid off. His team won the state championship that year, and Deontae was hooked.
That summer, he played with Team Zona, a club that brings together players from around the state and country and provides opportunities for development and recruiting. By the end of the summer, heading into his sophomore year, Deontae was consistently dunking and receiving letters from colleges. The attention gave him an even greater appreciation for the sport and motivated him to continue improving.
After dealing with a recurring ankle injury during his junior year, Deontae returned healthy for his senior season and helped lead his team to its third championship title in four years.
Following his graduation from Desert Heights Prep, Deontae spent a year playing basketball at Tohono O’odham Community College before transferring to Grand Canyon University. There, he made the decision to step away from competitive basketball to focus on his studies. He is now in his senior year working toward a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
While Deontae still plays basketball recreationally, he has found that his part-time work at Gentle Giant fills a similar role in his life. There’s plenty to learn, starting with the fundamentals, and a team of people helping each other improve and have fun along the way.
He also sees that camaraderie in the smaller moments at Gentle Giant, including coworkers getting together outside of work for activities like hiking.
We’re proud of Deontae’s accomplishments on the court and football field and happy to see him carrying the lessons from his athletic career into the next chapters of his life as a student and professional.