Where are they now: Tai Streets

Submitted by oriental andrew on November 9th, 2023 at 5:17 PM

I saw a story on my newsfeed come up about a 2024 Illinois basketball recruit named Morez Johnson. In the article was this tidbit:

Fortunately, Johnson had a soft landing spot. The Riverdale resident went home to Thornton, where his club basketball coach, Tai Streets, is the head coach.

“It’s a little weird since he hasn’t played a game for us yet,” Streets said. “But he’s a local kid so it feels like this is how it always should have been.”

“He’s come a long way since I met him in eighth grade,” Streets said. “He works hard and he’s a good kid. It’s kind of crazy how good of a kid he is. He’s come in here as a leader and everyone sees the way he works and that demands respect.”

That got me to wondering about what Streets has been up to, so I google-stalked him a little bit. 

Turns out he is the head boys basketball coach at Thornton Township HS in Harvey, IL (south suburban Chicago). He is also one of the founders of the Meanstreets (get it?) AAU club team and head coach for the 17U boys team. 

Streets actually played HS bball, fball, and track at Thornton, so this is an alum coaching at his alma mater - not unlike JH and JH. 

Anyway, looks like he's doing really well and enjoying life while making an impact on young players. 

Meanstreets alumni include:

  • Derrick Rose
  • Eric Gordon
  • Kendrick Nunn
  • Anthony Davis
  • Charles Matthews
  • Isaiah Livers

And that's all the google-stalking I have in me for today. 

MGoBoard
Football
Basketball

Yinka Double Dare

November 9th, 2023 at 5:45 PM ^

That high school team Streets was on (and probably the best player on the basketball team) his senior year was the one that took down the Kevin Garnett/Ronnie Fields team in the state quarterfinals in a huge upset. That Thornton team was funny - multiple recognizable names on that roster... except most of them for football. Only one (sophomore at the time Melvin Ely) went to the NBA, but Streets, Napoleon Harris and Antwaan Randle El all went to the NFL. 

They lost in the finals to Peoria Manual, which won a bunch of state titles in the 90s, and sent multiple guys to Illinois (Sergio McClain, Marcus Griffin, Frank Williams off the top of my head)

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 9777

kalamazoo

November 9th, 2023 at 5:54 PM ^

I remember hearing stories when I was a student at South Quad that Tai Streets would play pickup ball with the M basketball team outdoors in the summer.

I think he then was part of the men's basketball team in 1997 if the Michigan Daily article I found is correct.

Joined: 08/20/2010

MGoPoints: 2566

UMfan21

November 9th, 2023 at 6:29 PM ^

My favorite Tai streets memory was from a broadcast in 97 (I don't know if it was football or basketball) but they were talking about Streets and his roommate who taught him how to make Kraft Mac and cheese from a box.

 

That always stuck with me because I was in HS and knew how to do that. So I couldn't believe a college upperclassmen didn't know.

Joined: 09/28/2009

MGoPoints: 51224

WolverineHistorian

November 9th, 2023 at 6:48 PM ^

Streets catching TD passes from Tom Brady was nice.  Catching those two TD bombs in the Rose Bowl was epic.  But Shawn Springs falling down and Streets taking it to the house against Ohio State?  There are no words.  

Joined: 08/10/2009

MGoPoints: 55466

M-Dog

November 9th, 2023 at 10:41 PM ^

Shawn Springs falling down and Streets taking it to the house against Ohio State

You could hear a pin drop after that.  It absolutely freaked out the crowd in Columbus.  They knew they were going to lose that game right then and there.

The exact same thing happened last year in Columbus, when JJ hit Corn for the unexpected TD.  It absolutely freaked out the crowd in Columbus.  They knew they were going to lose that game right then and there.

Joined: 07/06/2008

MGoPoints: 257507