Afraid of ridicule as a kid, Sierra Canyon coach Andre Chevalier is comfortable being ‘hated’

The brand new child caught out as a result of he was attempting so exhausting to mix in.

Andre Chevalier all the time tucked his hand in his pocket. Out of sight. Basketball shorts, although, do not need pockets. And when he was 12 years outdated, contemporary after a transfer from Maryland to North Hollywood whereas attempting out for the East Valley Trojans, coach Eli Essa couldn’t assist however discover one thing peculiar in regards to the quick child in layup traces.

The best-handed Chevalier laid up the ball, got here again to the road and buried his left hand underneath his jersey, rolling it as much as his waist. He did it once more, after one other shot, Essa remembered. And once more.

The boy needed to keep away from the questions. The conversations. Chevalier was born with out two fingers on his left hand, one center finger protruding the place three must be.

It was by no means a problem in Maryland. He grew up in a single-parent family in a low-income undertaking in Prince George County. The neighborhood was household. And everybody, Chevalier’s uncle William mentioned, protected the boy.

However the transfer to California, together with his mom, Shirley, ripped away that consolation and changed it with insecurity. There have been days, Shirley remembered, her son got here house crying due to his hand. He by no means instructed her why.

“It was very exhausting as a child,” the 51-year-old Chevalier mentioned, “as a result of children are very merciless.”

He was afraid of being judged. Of being ridiculed. Of being seen.

Forty years later, Chevalier runs probably the most seen highschool basketball program within the nation.

In Chevalier’s six years as head coach at Sierra Canyon Excessive in Chatsworth, the Trailblazers have constructed a nationwide model: an Amazon Studios-sponsored documentary sequence, preseason exhibitions in Europe and three straight state championship titles from 2018 to 2020.

Chevalier has molded 5 future NBA gamers, in addition to the sons of present and former NBA stars LeBron James (Bronny and Bryce James), Dwyane Wade (Zaire Wade), Scottie Pippen (Justin Pippen and Scotty Pippen Jr.), Penny Hardaway (Ashton Hardaway) and Kenyon Martin (KJ Martin).

There’s a singular highlight on the small gymnasium in Chatsworth. Michael B. Jordan has sat courtside. So have Floyd Mayweather. Kim and Khloe Kardashian. Drake even name-dropped the varsity within the 2021 tune “Papi’s House”: “Sierra Canyon car parking zone lookin’ like Magic Metropolis car parking zone,” an odd comparability to a strip membership in Atlanta.

The star-studded platform has introduced criticism — typically surrounding this system’s use of transfers, with six new faces on this season’s crew after eight final 12 months.

Chevalier tries to disregard the unfavorable consideration. But he hears it. He’s typically nice, typically humorous. However when requested questions, his eyebrows furrow above a poker face, a person with two grasp’s levels in schooling evaluating behind a guarded exterior. He trusts few.

Does he really feel this system is hated?

“I know we’re hated,” Chevalier mentioned.

Does he really feel personally hated?

“I’m the top of the snake,” he mentioned, “so I’m hated. And it’s OK with me.”

Per week in the past, The Occasions revealed a narrative on Sierra Canyon taking a switch, AJ Swinton, from Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy. Why, Chevalier argued, does switch dialogue by no means contain the person household’s circumstances? Why do constructive elements of his program proceed to be neglected: nationwide schedules, excursions to civil rights museums, frequent conversations about males’s psychological well being?

On Friday evening, after his first sport with Sierra Canyon, Swinton instructed The Occasions he transferred largely for a contemporary begin as a result of his grandfather, who was from California, died of lung most cancers.

“These children are kids,” Chevalier mentioned. “Typically we lose sight of that, as a result of we now have our personal agenda. They’re kids. So speak about me. I’m the offender.”

Outdoors the traces, Santa Monica Crossroads coach Anthony Davis mentioned, Chevalier is loving, a household man. His son Andre Jr. performed soccer at Westlake Village Oaks Christian and daughter Ashley is a guard at Texas Tech.

“Once you see him teaching,” Davis mentioned, “you suppose he’s a unique man.”

Woodland Hills Taft coach Derrick Taylor mentioned Chevalier coaches with a chip on his shoulder — the identical he performed with as a guard at Reseda Cleveland Excessive. If Chevalier wasn’t pressured by defenses, he’d dribble together with his off-hand to persuade them he was comfy. He was tough, expert, beloved by coach Bobby Braswell. However no school coach needed some extent guard, as Chevalier mentioned, “with half a hand.”

“I spent plenty of time in my life attempting to show that I used to be adequate,” Chevalier mentioned.

He grew to become a Corridor of Famer at Cal State Northridge, constructed his alma mater right into a Metropolis Part powerhouse and received a Southern Part title as the women’ basketball coach as Oaks Christian.

Coach Andre Chevalier and Bronny James, heart, pose for a photograph together with gamers and coaches after defeating St. Vincent-St. Mary on the Chosen-1’s Invitational.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Occasions)

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So the Xs and O’s? Baby’s play for Chevalier, Taylor mentioned. The problem at Sierra Canyon, the Taft coach asserted, was “managing the circus.”

But Chevalier hasn’t modified his method since he was employed, Sierra Canyon President Jim Skrumbis mentioned. Sure, Chevalier has a toughness — but in addition what Skrumbis referred to as “a deep, deep dedication to serving to younger boys rising into males.”

“Everyone centered on his withered hand … however I believe there’s extra to him than that,” Skrumbis mentioned of the coach’s story. “I believe Andre’s an honest man.”

A person comfy in his pores and skin, as Braswell mentioned.

Sierra Canyon, Chevalier says, is a coaching floor.

His purpose, taking up in 2017, was to construct a college-level program. That didn’t simply imply basketball. When Bronny James and Zaire Wade entered the varsity earlier than the 2019-20 season, the hype round an already-national title skyrocketed.

“Everybody needed to determine the way it was going to work out,” mentioned Amari Bailey, that crew’s star and now a freshman at UCLA.

As a substitute of operating from the eye within the period of social media branding, Chevalier and the Trailblazers sprinted towards it.

“I believe individuals most likely noticed that as being boastful,” Chevalier mentioned. “However we have been simply attempting to seize the second.”

Every little thing clicked that 2019-20 season, as Chevalier efficiently blended Wade and James right into a roster of prime recruits to assert a 3rd consecutive state title. However Sierra Canyon misplaced to Corona Centennial in final season’s Southern Part Open Division last, and is simply beginning to hit their stride in a 15-3 begin to this season.

Fame comes with a worth. Followers dwell, as junior and prime scorer Isaiah Elohim mentioned, “vicariously by us.” Any stumble, although, and the door is open for photographs on the program’s virality.

“We’re going to do some issues generally that’s new, and it’s not going to work, and also you guys are going to speak trash about us,” Chevalier mentioned. “And it’ll solely make me higher as a result of I’ll make the adjustment, and we’ll be nice at it.”

Her son, Shirley laughed, has all the time been entrepreneurial. As a child in Maryland, he’d purchase Now & Laters from a sweet truck for 10 cents and flip them to classmates in school for 25 cents.

He was about making a revenue, Shirley mentioned. The product, the enterprise, is simply greater now.

“The crew,” Chevalier mentioned, “is my enterprise.”

Teaching at Sierra Canyon, assistant Chris Howe mentioned, is “extraordinarily tense.”

“Nothing however the highest stage of elite efficiency is suitable,” Howe mentioned.

In March 2020, on TNT’s “Contained in the NBA” present, Dwyane Wade mentioned he wouldn’t be attending Sierra Canyon’s state championship sport as a result of “my son [Zaire] isn’t taking part in and I don’t wish to do nothing to the coach.”

That’s a 13-time NBA All-Star seemingly calling out Chevalier, a highschool basketball coach, on dwell tv.

Chevalier’s response? Nothing, Howe mentioned. He mentioned nothing. Did nothing.

“Zaire wasn’t getting his numbers, and that’s what Dwyane Wade was complaining about,” Howe mentioned. “However on the finish of the day, if you happen to lookup on the wall, there’s a banner that has Z-Wade’s title on it that claims ‘state champions.’”

Sierra Canyon ahead Amari Bailey, who’s a freshman this season at UCLA, shares a lightweight second with Channel 2 sports activities anchor Jim Hill in the course of the Trailblazers’ media day in 2021.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Occasions)

Chevalier provides no particular remedy. Minutes are seized, not given; stars of NBA legends could possibly be run for unhealthy turnovers in apply till they throw up, Justin Pippen mentioned.

“Every little thing right here is earned,” Ashton Hardaway mentioned on the crew’s preseason media day. “Regardless of who I’m.”

Sierra Canyon will not be a daily crew, Chevalier says. It’s an expertise. One which whips a Hollywood whirlwind of cameras and modern-day Web fame round a bunch of youngsters simply sufficiently old to get their driver’s licenses. Chevalier is the attention of the storm, the reserved but embattled thoughts tasked with holding the ship afloat.

The hearth from his youth nonetheless burns. The hand is on full show to the cavalcade of celeb that rolls into the Trailblazers’ gymnasium. Chevalier loves himself, now, he mentioned. To demise.

“I’m not in search of individuals to love me,” Chevalier mentioned.

“I’m seeking to be the best of all time.”