After taking his players to China for a cultural exchange meant to broaden their horizons, Simeon head coach Tim Flowers has been suspended for six games by the IHSA. In a candid conversation with WTW, the Chicago basketball legend breaks his silence, saying this moment is about more than rules — it’s about the reality young Black men face every day in this city.
A Trip Meant to Heal, Not Just Compete
When Tim Flowers speaks about his team, you can hear the weight of responsibility in his voice. As head coach of Simeon Career Academy’s boys’ basketball team, a Chicago powerhouse that’s produced names like Derrick Rose, Flowers doesn’t just see himself as a coach — he’s a mentor, a father figure, and sometimes the only steady presence in his players’ lives.
“The crazy part about it is the trip was so far away from being about basketball, bro. We got some young people that’s dealing with some real stuff right now… One of our kids just lost somebody to gun violence. Another was thinking about leaving the building because of family issues. We were able to take him out of this environment and just let him be a young man.”
The China trip, organized in partnership with GOAT LAB. GOAT Lab, a company Derrick Rose runs clinics with, paid for the trip. Rose and Flowers were teammates at Simeon and remain close friends. Rose was with the team for the end of the trip.
The trip was originally scheduled for July but delayed due to CPS vendor approval. Once clearance finally came through in September, Flowers believed everything was official.
“Once I received that green light from CPS, I’m thinking we a go. My job wasn’t to check bylaws — my job was to do what I did: pass the invitation through the proper channels.”
The IHSA Suspension
Despite that approval, Flowers was hit with a six-game suspension and a shortened season for “organizing and coaching” his team in the off-season — a direct violation of IHSA bylaws. An addition to Flowers 6 game suspension two assistant coaches will join him for four games. Simeon cannot practice for the first three days of the season and can only play 28 games this season instead of 31.
“They said I wasn’t supposed to be organizing team events or coaching outside the season. But it’s happening all over the state — fall leagues, coaches running their teams. Why are we being held to a different standard because we’re Simeon?”
He says he’s not denying his presence on the sidelines — Slam Magazine even published footage of him coaching during one of the trip’s exhibition games — but argues that the experience went far beyond basketball.
“Yeah, I coached them, I’m not running from that. But once CPS approved the itinerary, and it said this is a game day, I’m thinking they know. I’m not apologetic for that ”
A Mission Bigger Than The Game
For Flowers, this trip was about exposure and emotional peace — something his players rarely get in Chicago.
“We took 18 young men out the country. Some of them had never even had a passport. Out there, they could breathe. They could think. They could dream. One of my kids told me, ‘Coach, I could move here. I felt like a celebrity. I felt safe.’ That’s powerful.”
He described the emotional weight of simply not feeling on edge for once.
“I’m 37 years old, bro, and every time I drive home, I’m looking over my shoulder. In China, for six days, I didn’t think about that once. That’s mental peace. That’s therapy.”
Flowers said the trip’s biggest victory wasn’t on the court — it was watching his players open up creatively and emotionally. One student even designed a poster for the team’s visit to Hong Kong, which now hangs in Flowers’ office.
Accountability — But Fairness Too
This isn’t the first time Flowers has faced IHSA discipline. He was previously suspended for two games in 2022 after a team trip to Africa was deemed unapproved. But this time, he insists he followed the process.
“In 2022 they said nobody cleared the trip. I took that on the chin. This time, I dotted every ‘i’ and crossed every ‘t.’ Everything went through my higher-ups — and I’m still the one getting suspended. It feels like I’m being made out to be the sacrificial lamb.”
When asked how the appeal process went, he shared his frustration bluntly.
“The appeal was twelve minutes. They asked me three questions and came back saying, ‘We’re going from four games to six.’ No real discussion. No chance to explain the intent.”
Fighting For Fairness — And For His Boys
Flowers is calling on the community to rally behind Simeon as they fight for fairness and better communication between CPS and IHSA.
“I don’t have an issue with IHSA or CPS. But these bylaws are outdated. Our kids aren’t who we were in 2007. They need more hands-on support. If you tell me I can’t be around my players, that’s unrealistic. These kids don’t even know their next-door neighbors. Who do they know? They know their coaches.”
The coach made it clear — his love for his players is what keeps him fighting.
“I’m not in this for money. I’m not in this to sell no kid. I’m in this because I want to help young Black men be better. What they’re going through every day — CPS don’t understand that. IHSA don’t understand that. I live it with them.”
Fast Facts
Coach: Tim Flowers
School: Simeon Career Academy (Chicago, IL)
Suspension: 6 games
Violation: Coaching and organizing during off-season
Previous Suspension: 2 games (Africa trip, 2022)
Trip Purpose: Cultural exchange & global exposure for student-athletes
Approved By: Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
Impact: Shortened season + missed games for head coach
Coach’s Stance: “Bigger than basketball — it’s about mental peace, exposure, and opportunity.”
“When you take these young men out of Chicago and show them something new, you’re not just coaching — you’re saving lives.”
Closing Thought
Whether or not the IHSA’s decision stands, Coach Tim Flowers’ message is clear: he’s standing on purpose. In a city where the odds are stacked against young Black men daily, his fight isn’t about basketball — it’s about making sure they know the world is bigger than their block.
