Simeon Career Academy basketball coach Tim Flowers says he never intended to break any rules when he organized what he calls a life-changing trip for his players.

Back in the summer of 2022, Flowers led several Chicago students on a journey to Africa giving many their first-ever chance to step foot on the continent. He insists he didn’t profit from the trip then and still hasn’t now.

"My message to Chicago is, we’ve got to step up and do things that may be untraditional, unconventional, to help these kids," Flowers said.

For Flowers, basketball has always been more than just a game. It’s been a passport a way out, a way up, and a way to give back to boys growing up in some of the toughest South Side neighborhoods beyond the violence.

"I got two young men… one lost his father to gun vio

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