BALL LIKE ME is a Sports Reality Series chronicling the Top Youth Basketball program in the City of Chicago, a city plagued with gang violence, yet rich in Basketball history. Led by Chicago legend and former college & professional basketball player, Coach Chauncey Jones. This tenacious basketball player turned coach, Chauncey Jones, takes everything he knows about the game and pours it into a group of teen and pre-teen boys and girls who are doing all they can make their basketball dreams come true while navigating life in the mean streets of Chicago! The show delves into the everyday lives of the coach, the most interesting players, and the rough and tumble environment in which they live. The ups and downs and real-life situations will keep you glued to your screen as the Ball Like Me season unfolds with deep diving examination of some of the players and the challenges they face daily as a norm. The notorious city of Chicago becomes a main central character as the day to day "heartbeat" of the city propels many forward to success and simultaneously stops dead without being revived for others. What makes the difference in the lives of these aspiring athletes? Tune in to see what it takes to — BALL LIKE ME
COACH CHAUNCEY JONES
KENNEDY JONES
JACOB ASHTON JONES
CHRISTIAN BUFORD
CHRISTOPHER BUFORD
CHASE BUFORD
BRADY HEDGES
MEKHI AUSTIN
ANTOINE WILLIAMS JR.
CHAUNCEY JONES, coach of the “Flames” and Patriarch of “Ball Like Me Sports” has always been into sports. Playing basketball has taken him all over the world! The former starting University of Alabama star point guard has attributed his success to a sincere desire to see others succeed. Starting with his own daughter as his first student and now a community force, Ball Like Me has serviced over 1,000 successful young adults with the fundamentals of life & basketball. Jones wants to instill something in his kids that allows them to traverse the rough and violent environment they are forced to try and succeed in and equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in the bigest court game of all — LIFE!
21yr old KENNEDY JONES was born in Oak Park, Il. Kennedy started hooping at 7 years old. She remembers being outside with her Dad & Uncle as they played with a basketball. She just remembers motioning for him to pass her the ball, Kennedy caught it and tried to dribble between her legs, and she has been in love with basketball ever since. Her parents put her in the Park District League where they won the championship and she was MVP! In 2014 when her Dad started his first “Flame” team, she played with the 5th grade team while in 4th. The boys couldn’t guard her. Kennedy received a scholarship from DMACC in Iowa where she will be starting next month.
22yr old JACOB ASHTON JONES AKA “JAKE”, is the Son of Coach Chauncey & Lydia Jones. His father began teaching him basketball at the early age of two years old. Chauncey taught Jake both offense and defense skills for over eight years. Jake is a caring individual often giving to the homeless. He is very intelligent and speaks well for himself. Jake loves to debate and doesn’t like to be wrong, so he studies intensely. When he goes to a local barber shop with Dad, everyone wants to hear his opinion, which was the launch of his Instagram page; @justaskJake — Jake has a very bright future.
15yr old CHRISTIAN BUFORD was born and raised in Chicago, he has four siblings- two sisters and two brothers. He enjoys playing basketball because it keeps his mind focused and if he is having a bad day, basketball is like something he can go play and always enjoy because he LOVES the game. He loves helping his siblings and teaching them new things and helping them get ready for school and making sure they know how to prepare for their next quiz that comes up.
12 yr old CHRISTOPHER BUFORD was born and raised in Chicago. Christopher is one of five and plays ball along with his two other brothers. He has a good relationship with his sister and brothers, and they assist him with school work and tests and such like. His Brothers chase him and help his game to get better. He loves working on his game and whenever he’s not doing anything else, he is in the gym working on his game.
10yr old CHASE BUFORD was born in Chicago as a part of the Buford family. His big brother Christian and his brother Christopher whom they call “CJ” likes to help him train and help him with his schoolwork. He also likes to work on his defense so he can guard anybody and shut them down!
14yr old BRADY HEDGES is a recent graduate from Brooks Middle School, and he is about to begin his freshman year at Oak Park River Forest High School. Born and raised in Oak Park, Brady has been playing with the “Flames” and coach Chauncey since 2017 when he was in the fourth grade. Brady is looking forward to playing especially basketball and even football for the OPRF Huskies in the 2022-2023 school year.
MEHKI AUSTIN was born in Oak Park. He has 4 siblings. His parents are from the Westside of Chicago and raised him tough. He was born a fighter with a chip on his shoulder and his Dad taught him that he had to work for everything and never to expect any handouts in this world. He put Mehki in sports early and Mehli found his first love — basketball. It made him closer to his family knowing he had them if nothing else. Mehki is a great teammate and family member even as the youngest, he is growing into a great team player at life.
13yr old ANTOINE M. WILLIAMS JR., has 2 sisters. Antoine was raised in “Chiraq”, as it is called because of the constant violence that has plagues the city. On his first birthday he received his first Lil’ Tikes Basketball rim and never looked back. When covid hit, he was not able to go to the school gym until he eventually started playing for a team called the Sayre Bulldogs. They were undefeated and Antoine was the MVP! His Father noticed his abilities and one of his friends referred them to coach Chauncey.