The TaJuan Cann D'Asya Collier-Williams interview brought out a clear college priority: Cann calls the University of Kansas and University of Kentucky dream schools, but wants a coach who wants him there just as much. The University Academy junior also told Collier-Williams that fit matters more than NIL money, and set goals of at least 20 points and seven assists per game this season.

How did TaJuan Cann begin his basketball journey?

TaJuan Cann grew up around basketball through his sister, uncle and cousins, but coach Rick helped him see a future in the game. During the summer between eighth grade and high school, Rick put him against players he believed Cann could compete with. Holding his own changed what Cann thought he could do.

Basketball with his family

Cann remembered going with his uncle to pickup games and watching relatives enjoy playing. He liked watching basketball when he was younger, but said he did not seriously consider playing until he better understood the game around him and saw family members compete at high levels.

Coach Rick and the first dunks

With team one of us, coach Rick tested more than Cann’s scoring or ability to make highlights. Cann said the coach wanted to know whether he could keep up at a higher level, then reinforced his belief that basketball could take him somewhere.

Cann traced his first dunk to seventh-grade school basketball and said he became more consistent at dunking the following summer. His first dunk over a defender came during the first tournament with a new AAU team this past summer. He drove into an opening, rose as a defender jumped with him and finished through the contact. He remembered running back down the court unable to contain his excitement.

How did TaJuan Cann develop as a leader at University Academy?

TaJuan Cann said his uncle and coaches pushed him to become a leader who involves teammates rather than focusing only on points. At University Academy, his freshman season was about adjusting to varsity basketball. By his sophomore season, he felt calmer leading the team and more deliberate about helping other players contribute.

The connection between his coaches

Cann said his eighth-grade coach and University Academy coach France knew each other. He had also built a bond with France through the school’s middle-school football team, where France coached defense. Knowing that both coaches had watched his game and pushed him made the transition to high school feel grounded in trust.

Learning to help teammates

As a freshman, Cann concentrated on getting a feel for varsity play. A strong AAU summer preceded his sophomore year, when he said his approach to leading became more composed. He began thinking more about what teammates needed from him, not just what he could produce himself.

His uncle urged him to be a role model for younger players and people around him. Cann said his coach also recognized that some teammates struggled in certain areas or had narrower roles. Learning other positions and plays helped Cann take on more responsibility and get teammates involved.

What does TaJuan Cann want to improve in his junior basketball season?

TaJuan Cann wants better shot selection, smarter decisions with the ball and more plays that show his basketball IQ during his junior season. He also wants to keep involving teammates. For his final AAU summer after the school season, he hopes to carry momentum forward and make the most of the friendships basketball has brought him.

Asked what fans should expect from his junior year, Cann pointed to taking better shots and being more accurate rather than simply shooting more. He described the goal as getting from one play to the next through sound decisions and being a dependable leader.

He connected that approach to college opportunities, saying coaches look for players who can contribute in more than one way. Getting teammates involved remains central to how he wants to play.

Cann was excited about his last AAU summer but also aware that it would be his last. He said AAU is where he has made many friends and met people, and he hopes a productive school season will carry into that summer. Finding the right team and coach is part of his preparation.

Why are Kansas and Kentucky dream schools for TaJuan Cann?

TaJuan Cann named the University of Kansas and University of Kentucky as dream schools because he likes their atmospheres and what they do with players. He did not frame either school as a commitment. His deciding factor is a coach who genuinely wants him there and a place where he can play and have a good experience.

When Collier-Williams asked what he wanted from college, Cann returned to the relationship with a coach. He described Kansas and Kentucky as schools he would love to attend, then made clear that a recognizable name alone would not determine his choice.

Cann put his priority this way:

I really want to go with a coach that just wants me there as much as I want to be there

That preference matches the way he described his development at University Academy: coaches who knew his game, believed in him and pushed him helped shape what he expects from a future program.

What did TaJuan Cann say about NIL money and college choice?

TaJuan Cann supports NIL opportunities, but said money should not outweigh a college team’s culture and fit. In his view, choosing a school only for money could keep an athlete from playing at their best. He also wants athletes to think carefully about how they spend what they earn.

Cann said a player has to consider the atmosphere and the team, not just the financial opportunity. Playing for a program that fits, he argued, gives an athlete a better chance to perform well and be part of something they value.

He spoke positively about NIL itself and had no objection to athletes benefiting from it. His caution was about spending on things that serve little purpose or are bought mainly to show online. He said athletes should be smart with the money.

How does TaJuan Cann want to give back to University Academy?

TaJuan Cann wants to support sports and young people at University Academy after he leaves for college. He mentioned his work with youth ambassadors and said he would like to give back financially, including to teachers who have helped him. His immediate answer to a lighter question about a food reward was peanut butter cookies.

Asked about a cheat meal, Cann chose peanut butter cookies. Collier-Williams also raised 54th Street and the idea of sponsorship, but Cann did not describe a sponsorship agreement.

His plans for giving back centered on the parts of the school community that have mattered to him. He mentioned youth ambassadors and support for sports, then added that he might give extra money to teachers who had helped him. He was speaking about what he hopes to do, not announcing a completed contribution.

What are TaJuan Cann’s goals for his junior season and team?

TaJuan Cann is aiming for at least 20 points and seven assists per game in his junior season, and said he needs to rebound more. For University Academy as a team, he wants players to stay connected, grow closer and become a family. He did not give a specific tournament finish as his goal.

When asked for numbers, Cann set a scoring target of 20-plus points per game and an assist target of seven or more. On rebounds, he said he had to improve and suggested eight or 10 as a good mark.

His answer about the end of the school season focused less on a tournament result than on the group itself. With underclassmen and juniors on the roster, Cann wants his teammates to build a closer bond, remain together and be connected when the season reaches its later stages.

D'Asya Collier-Williams

TaJuan Cann D'Asya Collier-Williams interview on...