Staff | Meanstreets

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Tai Streets

Founder

Tai Streets founded MeanStreets in 2001 while playing for the San Francisco 49ers, turning his offseason commitment to mentoring young men into a lasting investment in Chicago basketball. Inspired by the coaches who helped shape his own path, Tai set out to build a championship program that prepared athletes to succeed on the court, in the classroom, and in life. One of Illinois’ most accomplished three-sport athletes, Tai earned All-American honors in football, All-State recognition in basketball, and a state championship in the long jump at Thornton High School. At the University of Michigan, he helped secure a football national championship with two touchdown catches in the 1998 Rose Bowl before beginning a six-season NFL career with the 49ers and Detroit Lions. Under Tai’s leadership, MeanStreets has grown into a nationally recognized grassroots basketball program, winning an AAU National Championship and the 2006 Peach Jam championship with a team led by Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon. Its alumni include Rose, Gordon, Anthony Davis, Patrick Beverley, and other standouts at the college and professional levels. The program has helped hundreds of student-athletes earn millions of dollars in college scholarships. Today, Tai serves as boys basketball head coach and works in administration at Thornton, his alma mater. His work continues the mission that started MeanStreets: opening doors for young people and giving back to the community that raised him.

Tim Anderson

Executive Director

Tim Anderson brings two decades of coaching, recruiting, and player development experience to his role as Executive Director of MeanStreets. A Chicago native and former MeanStreets program director, Tim combines deep roots in the city’s basketball community with a nationally recognized reputation for developing talent and building relationships. Before returning to MeanStreets, Tim served as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois from 2021 to 2024. During his tenure, the Fighting Illini captured the 2022 Big Ten regular-season championship, won the 2024 Big Ten Tournament, and advanced to the Elite Eight. He previously spent four seasons at DePaul, where he worked closely with future NBA players Max Strus and Paul Reed. As founder of Ground Zero Training, Tim has helped prepare college prospects for the NBA Draft and worked with established professionals, including Derrick Rose, Jabari Parker, and Will Bynum. His experience developing players at every stage—from high school athletes to NBA veterans—brings valuable perspective to the preparation and guidance MeanStreets provides its players. Tim’s commitment to Chicago extends throughout his career. As head coach at his alma mater, Crane High School, he led the program to a 63–24 record over three seasons and a state Elite Eight appearance. Today, he leads MeanStreets with that same investment in the city’s young people, strengthening the program’s tradition of competitive excellence while helping athletes build a future through basketball.

Christian Sotos

Program Director + EYBL Head Coach

Christian Sotos brings a strong record of program growth, player development, and college recruiting support to MeanStreets. His experience spans grassroots basketball and the professional game, combining hands-on coaching with an understanding of what it takes for athletes to advance. During his eight years with Fundamental U and Elevate UAA, Christian played a central role in expanding the organization from four to eighteen teams and spearheaded its advancement to the Under Armour Association. He helped grow its national presence from a single 17U UA Rise team into the only organization in the country with teams competing across all four levels of the UA Next ecosystem: UAA, UA Rise, UA Grind, and UA Future. Christian has established himself as a trusted resource for player development in the Chicago area, serving as a primary trainer and recruiting resource for high school and college athletes while also working with numerous NBA and overseas professionals. His experience includes several years in NBA pre-draft development, organizing and directing comprehensive preparation programs for clients and leading NEXT Sports Agency’s Pro Day at the NBA Draft Combine. At MeanStreets, Christian brings that experience to a shared commitment: developing talented players, building meaningful relationships, and creating opportunities that extend beyond grassroots basketball.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Coach Slaughter brings more than two decades of championship coaching and player development experience to MeanStreets. As the longtime head boys basketball coach at Whitney Young High School, he has helped sustain one of Illinois’ premier programs while preparing generations of student-athletes to compete beyond the high school level.

Since taking over at Whitney Young in 2005, Coach Slaughter has led the Dolphins to three IHSA Class 4A state championships—in 2009, 2014, and 2017—and three additional state runner-up finishes. His accomplishments earned him the National High School Coaches Association’s Boys Basketball Coach of the Year award in 2017 and selection to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.

Coach Slaughter’s impact extends through the players he has coached, including Jahlil Okafor, Javon Freeman-Liberty, and D.J. Steward, alongside dozens of athletes who have earned opportunities to play college basketball. His experience guiding teams through demanding competition and helping talented players prepare for their next chapter brings valuable perspective to both athletes and families navigating the game.

As an Assistant Director of MeanStreets, Coach Slaughter combines that coaching background with his longstanding involvement in grassroots basketball. He helps carry forward the program’s commitment to developing players, building competitive teams, and creating opportunities for young people through the sport.
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George Baker brings extensive experience in basketball coaching, nonprofit leadership, and community outreach to MeanStreets. Through his work at Saint Ignatius College Prep and After the Game, Inc., he has built a lasting commitment to helping young people access opportunities, develop confidence, and grow through sports and education.

As an assistant boys basketball coach at Saint Ignatius, George has helped guide a program that earned consecutive IHSA Class 3A state Final Four appearances, finishing third in 2022 and fourth in 2023. He has also coached with MeanStreets since 2016, working with athletes on the Nike EYBL circuit and supporting their development through high-level competition.

George serves as president and co-founder of After the Game, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for young people through sports, the arts, and academics. His work focuses on connecting youth with meaningful experiences and resources that support their growth beyond athletics, while helping reduce barriers to participation.

At MeanStreets, George combines his coaching experience with his ability to build community relationships and connect families with support. His contributions reflect the program’s belief that success extends beyond the court—and that basketball can open doors to education, personal growth, and lasting opportunity.

Coaching Staff

COACH

G Collymore

15u EYBL
Head Coach

Player Development — Professional

MEANSTREETS

BEYOND MEANSTREETS

Andrew Choi

15u EYBL
Asst Coach

Player Development — Professional

MEANSTREETS

BEYOND MEANSTREETS

Marcus Speller

14u Jr EYBL
Head Coach

Whitney Young HS — Head Coach (Soph)

MEANSTREETS

BEYOND MEANSTREETS

EYBL Teams

Asst Coach

DBL Elite — Program Director

MEANSTREETS

BEYOND MEANSTREETS

MEANSTREETS

BEYOND MEANSTREETS