FaZe Clan Welcomes Former Athlete Donald De La Haye as Newest Member – The Hollywood Reporter

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Gaming and lifestyle organization FaZe Clan revealed Tuesday that Donald De La Haye, a former college football athlete turned content creator, has become an official member of its talent roster.

De La Haye, who is 25 and originally from Costa Rica, has over 4 million followers on YouTube. At FaZe, he will be known as “FaZe Deestroying.”

“Ever since I was younger, I’ve always been a fan of FaZe Clan,” De La Haye tells The Hollywood Reporter. He says he grew up playing sports-centered games such as Pro Evolution Soccer, and using consoles like the PlayStation 2. “I went through a phase when I was 12, 13, where Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was the biggest thing on earth at the time, everyone my age was playing. ” He adds that at the time, people were posting trick-shot clips from the game on YouTube, which caught his eye.

He would eventually begin making his videos, an activity that grew while he studied at the University of Central Florida-where he had a full-ride scholarship as a starting kicker. “As you know college sports can be very grueling and time consuming, so to combat the stress I needed a creative outlet, and that just so happened to be videos,” says De La Haye. “I’d film my day-to-day stuff,” he says, adding that some videos would explore the “inside life” of a college athlete. “I wouldn’t just show the good stuff, I’d show some of the bad days I had as well, but I’d always try to cap it off with something motivational or inspiring.” Most of De La Haye’s content was aimed at younger athletes.

His high-energy, sports-centered content and lifestyle vlogs caught the attention of FaZe Clan, which is known for its content spanning the spectrum of youth culture and its mix of talent.

Of his plans with FaZe Clan, De La Hays says: “I am planning to give back to college athletes, high school athletes, youth athletes, people trying to play sports who maybe have other passions as well – we want to help them become the best at their sport. ”

The idea, he says, is to give these groups a platform. “We’re just trying to make a difference in the community.” De La Haye says he feels “very fortunate” to be in this position. “It feels amazing to be honest. I wouldn’t pick any other career. ”

He references the mindset and confidence of “the late, great Kobe [Bryant]”As an athlete who has inspired him. De La Haye also highlights former football player and current Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders: “He doesn’t just coach football players, he coaches men.”

At FaZe, De La Haye joins a roster including Brian Awadis (FaZe Rug), gamer and musician Kaysan (FaZe Kaysan), who joined last September, Alexander Prynkiewicz (FaZe Adapt), and athletes such as LeBron Bronny James Jr.

FaZe Clan, which was established in 2010, also operates an esports division with multiple competitive teams who play FIFA, Fortnite and more.

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