Most kids who grow up in underprivileged neighborhoods dream of leaving. Kaleb Phillips wants to go back.

• Inglewood athlete used basketball as a means to better his life
• Now he's giving back by starting the nonprofit 'Learn, Develop, and Grow'
• Athletic wear brand Nike has stepped in to support him and his nonprofit

“First five years of me picking up a basketball, I was always on the courts outside and it just stuck with me,” said Phillips. 

At 10 years old, Phillips could be found playing basketball in Inglewood. As he reflects on his ability to play competitive basketball, he remembers all the people who helped him along the way.

“That’s not the story for every kid out there, they don’t have someone looking over them or they don’t have someone who cares,” he said.

Phillips is now 22, coaching National Junior Basketball in Tustin. But that’s just the beginning. The sport has given him a voice.

Being a leader on the court, Phillips has wanted to start his own nonprofit since he was 18.

“I wanted to make sure everybody knows that I care. So I started Learn, Develop, and Grow to make sure that every child has the opportunity to follow their dream in youth sports,” he said.

But he’s learned that it’s not easy to do so without money and resources. His older sister Nikki has watched him work for his voice to be heard.

Nikki recalls what her younger brother used to say to her when he realized what he wanted to do in life.

“I really want to mentor kids. I really want them to learn, develop, and grow. And it was like oh my gosh this ties in to everything we’ve always talked about and always wanted to do,” she said.

That’s where Nike came in. Just this past year, the athletic wear company hand-picked Phillips as one of 14 leaders across the nation making an impact in their communities. 

He's been given a mentor and a plan to make his nonprofit come to life.

“For him to go back to Inglewood and to show kids there’s a way out, they don’t usually have that,” says Nikki.

Now that he’s driving his vehicle of change, he’s ready to return to where it all began.  

His first event is set for March, and Phillips is ready to learn develop and grow as he helps kids just like him do the same.