Deion Sanders is an American success story. He’s excelled in sports, media, and other avenues. But being a father is perhaps the one area Sanders is most proud of.
Deion “Bucky” Sanders Jr., the oldest son of NFL legend, opened up about one of his father’s parenting techniques which ultimately helped instill the independence he has today.
Nearly 40 minutes into the interview, he revealed that he “never lived with my dad like that.”
“He’s a great caring and giving person, don’t get me wrong,” Sanders Jr. said in reference to his father on an episode of “Reach The People Media” podcast during a discussion about seeking financial support during times when he may have struggled.
He said his dad was never the person who gave things freely, “But his kids… (he was like) ‘Nah, bro, you gonna go get that s-t… I gave you a name. Do something with it.'”
“I used to never like telling people my name. I hated that s-t.” Sanders Jr., whose father often refers to him as Bucky, added. When asked what name he would use as an alternative, Bucky replied, “I would just say DJ or just junior… I hated telling people because it’s like you just you want to get that s-t on your own. I want you to respect me for me. Or I want to get your number because you think I look good. I want to get this girl to give me her number because you think I look good.”
Bucky reiterated some of the complications that sometimes arise because his friends typically viewed him as the “blessed one” given his father’s status. The 30-year-old recalled a conversation he had with rapper Lil Wayne, who taught him “when the leader needs help, who’s he going to go to for help? If you at the top, you go to God.”
“That’s why I always make videos pouring my heart out because … bro, regardless of all that s-t going on, regardless of me feeling like God wasn’t answering me, I still knew God was using me. And I still knew … It’s like God was rewarding me for little wins. Like, ‘Here, bro, shut up.'”
The second-born Sanders child said one point in life he couldn’t afford sections at a club in Dallas or even travel frequently. He noted that he didn’t “have no money to just move around like that,” and would even stay at Wayne’s house when he’d go to Miami.
Bucky shared the struggle with his friends. But for him, it turned him into a monster as he focused on proving “all these people wrong.”
“We didn’t have s—t but we would always smile and make s—t look good, make s— t opulent and luxury,” said Deion Sanders’ son. “You gotta fake it til you make it wearing fake jewelry, doing different things so we can sell this whole lifestyle, ’cause you not selling a product, you selling a lifestyle.
During his rise to prominence in the late 1980s, Sanders Sr. created the “Prime Time” persona which only increased his star power. He essentially put on a marketing masterclass during an era when social media did not exist.
Prime Time allowed Sanders to become the person he wanted to be. Over the years, Sanders’ name has been attached to numerous brands and has helped him earn millions of dollars. He’s currently about to begin his second season as head coach of the University of Colorado football program.
Bucky was born to Deion and his now ex-wife Carolyne Chambers in 1993. Deion and Carolyne also share a daughter, Sanders Jr.’s older sister, Deiondra, 32. Deion and Carolyne split in 1998 before he married Pilar Biggers in 1999.
Deion and Pilar Biggers-Sanders share three children: Shilo, 24; Shedeur, 22; and daughter Shelomi, 20. The pair split in 2013.
