by Curlan Campbell
- Foundation established in memory of late Grenadian international goalkeeper Kellon Baptiste
- Akinde Redhead and Enel St Bernard have started the process of getting UK deals which allow student-athletes to make money from their brands
- Next year 5 athletes should receive scholarships under Kellon Baptiste Foundation
Akinde Redhead is the latest recipient of a basketball scholarship to attend Panola College in Texas, USA through the Kellon Baptiste Foundation Inc. He will be joining Enel St Bernard, another scholarship recipient. Both are determined to pave their way to potentially reaching the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the future.
After being recruited for the men’s basketball team, Redhead and St Bernard have shown great potential on and off the court, which has already earned them the opportunity to compete at a higher level.
Redhead, a past student of Grenada Boys’ Secondary School (GBSS), came from a track and field and lawn tennis background before taking up basketball in Form 3. At the age of 23, Redhead represented Grenada in basketball regionally and was named National Player of the Year 2019–2022. He averaged 30 points per game in the last national under-23 tournament. The 6’ 4″ guard has now set his sights on attending Panola College in August 2024 and will be pursuing a degree in either Business Management or Information Technology.
“I want to express my gratitude to the foundation for providing me, Enel and hopefully other athletes in various sports, with the opportunity to collaborate with the coaches from Panola. This has allowed us to showcase our talents and skills to the world. Once again, thank you for this opportunity,” Redhead said.
Redhead will be joining 21-year-old St Bernard, who is preparing to enter his final year at Panola. He has played 34 games with an average field goal percentage of 64.1%. The 6’ 5″ forward from Harford Village in St Andrew also has a free throw percentage of 16.7% and averages 7 points per game. According to St Bernard, his ultimate goal is to play basketball at the highest level, taking examples from professionals like Luka Dončić of the Dallas Mavericks and his all-time favourite player overall, Lebron James.
In 2024, St Bernard’s hard work paid off when he was selected to attend 2 basketball camps: the 2024 NCAA Basketball Academy and the JUCO Advocate JA 48 Showcase. This showcase features the top 48 junior college prospects in the US allowing them to participate in a 2-day, six-game exhibition to showcase their skills in front of college coaches and NBA scouts. The event attracts national media attention from ESPN, NBC Sports and CBS Sports.
St Bernard feels confident going into his second year and is more determined than ever to succeed. “I led my region in blocks per game this year and I was also 10th in the country in blocks per game,” he said. I have had the honour of looking at some professional guys directly and matching up with some of them, especially in the summer. That’s what I normally do to improve my game, so it is not far-fetched to say that I can probably get to one of those higher levels.”
Chairman of the Kellon Baptiste Foundation Inc. Kyron Baptiste believes highly in the potential of both players to perform at the highest level and has committed to ensuring that each recipient is given the necessary support in order to achieve his best. He indicated that both players have already started the process of getting NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) deals in the UK which allow student-athletes to make money from their brands.
“Our goal is straightforward: we want to play at the highest level. He knows that, and I’m aware of it too. We have a plan. So, if it means we have to start in Europe, or if he has to join a league in France, he wants to play at the highest level. He has the ability; he has already competed against the best players. I’ve seen him train with professional players in Europe,” Baptiste said.
Executive Member Kellon Baptiste Foundation Inc. Paul McIntyre said that through the foundation’s Basketball Development Camp 2024, 5 athletes have shown promising skills that could potentially earn them scholarships next year. He said the meeting has already been held with the Government of Grenada, including officials from the Ministry of Sports and MP for St George South Andy Williams who committed to supporting the development of basketball in Grenada.
“I saw the review myself. I was impressed, and I can say that next year we should have 5 athletes leaving Grenada for scholarships under the Kellon Baptiste Foundation Inc. We have already discussed this with the Ministry of Sports, Minister Andy Williams and the Prime Minister. We sat with the Prime Minister on the final day, and we had their commitment. We need to draft a proposal that will cover next year’s basketball activities. The Ministry of Sports, guided by Curlan Peters, has already put a proposal in place so that we can continue working with the 25 athletes or anyone else we see as having potential for development and the opportunity to gain scholarships,” McIntyre explained.
Executive Member Heather Bain reinforced the foundation’s desire to support the development of women’s basketball and other sporting disciplines in Grenada.
The Kellon Baptiste Foundation Inc. was established in memory of the late Grenadian international goalkeeper Kellon Baptiste, who played at all levels of the game, including Under-17, Under-20, Under-23 and Senior teams, before his passing in 2012.
