When Marion “Pooh” Baines II walked artists from his label Da Trap Music into the Interscope Records building and watched them light up with excitement, he felt something stir inside. The moment symbolized more than just a milestone in his music career. It was proof that giving someone an opportunity could change their life. That feeling—the same joy he once chased through music—would later push him toward a new purpose.
For years, Coach Pooh was known on the West Coast as the driving force behind Da Trap Music; helpeing shape the sound of a generation coming out of Southern California. Working with artists like KT Foreign and the late Drakeo The Ruler, he built a brand rooted in authenticity and street perspective. But as his label grew, something inside him began to shift. He missed the discipline and community that once defined his early years as a basketball player. When the time came, he decided to step away from the studio lights and step back onto the court.
“Transitioning from music to youth sports is just basically me following my heart and going back to my passion,” said Coach Pooh. “I want to give back and be able to give kids a positive role model and keep them away from making the same mistakes I did as far as gangs and hustling in the streets.”
That passion led him to create Da Trap Sports, a youth basketball development program and AAU organization that has quickly earned a reputation for producing top talent on the West Coast.
The name came naturally. “Da Trap Sports came from me already having the brand and logo and I wanted to give the term Da Trap a positive meaning,” he said. “Da Trap can be anything—you going to work, going to Da Trap, school, gym, workout, train—it’s all Da Trap.”
The program grew out of the same entrepreneurial energy that made Da Trap Music a force. For Coach Pooh, it was about redirecting that energy into something lasting. “As a brand and organization Da Trap Sports means everything,” he said. “It means hard work, success and determination. Coming from nothing turning into something.”
Still, his time in music provided unforgettable memories. “My favorite memory is putting KT Foreign together with other West Coast artists making some classic music and taking them on a tour,” he said. “They are from two different sides, some Blood some Crip, and when on tour they had no problems bringing both sides together. That was some of those artists’ first time even leaving the state of California. And just getting artists signed, walking them into that Interscope building and seeing his expression.”
Those same leadership instincts translated naturally to coaching. “The best part of making the transition is me being able to help these kids get better and develop in basketball and putting my players into college,” he said. “Last year out of 34 players we put 30 in college from D1, D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO.”
His journey back into basketball wasn’t accidental. It was personal. “I just wanted to be able to give back and help some of these kids from making the same mistakes I did,” he said. “I was a great basketball player but I loved the streets more and hustling getting fast money. My freshman year I got shot three times, once in the head, and still played and had a great season but that pushed all the schools away from me. I had to do another year in JUCO, killed my sophomore season and ended up still going D1. But I never left the streets alone, so I’m just trying to right some of my wrongs and give back to these kids.”
When Coach Pooh decided to get serious about coaching, he leaned on the same relationships that once helped him as a player. “My high school coach, Thurman Watson, I’m still close with him,” he said. “I averaged 32 points a game playing for him. I was a young knucklehead and he was a young coach, just graduated and finished playing basketball at Saint Mary’s. I patterned our relationship and his coaching style.”
He reached out to respected names in the Southern California basketball scene to guide his next steps. “When I decided to get into coaching I reached out to Coach Al Caveness, who is another well-known coach currently at St. Monica. I looked up to him. I reached out to a great friend and high school teammate, the legend Reggie Morris Jr., and he told me to come up to his school Redondo Union and see if this is something I wanted to do. He allowed me to be part of his program and that’s when we knew.”
Those connections opened more doors. “I talked to another great friend and trainer who actually trained me when I was in the D-League, Keion Kindred, aka The Gate Keep,” he said. “He had me come out in the summer, started training, and then coaching that following season. It’s been up from there. I also talked to another good friend and former player I played against in college, Cedric Lusk. He is head director at OGP. He hired me to start coaching and training at their camps and I haven’t missed a camp since.”
Today, the bond between Coach Pooh and his players reflects that same loyalty. “My relationship with my teams and players are great,” he said. “From my AAU program to my prep school players, they all love me, including their parents.”
As head coach of LA Premier Prep, his goals are clear. “The goal is to be the biggest AAU program out of Cali and be the West Coast hub for prep school, trying to be the IMG of Cali,” he said. “We in season now so the goal for the rest of 2025 is to keep God first, stay blessed and win.”
Even with his growing presence in basketball, the Da Trap brand continues to evolve. What started as a simple idea at his former dispensaries turned into a clothing line with a loyal following. “Da Trap clothing started on accident,” he said. “Da Trap originally was the name of my dispensaries and when I would go to the weed conventions I would wear shirts or sweatsuits with Da Trap on it and my logo and would pass out t-shirts. Then people started wanting to buy the clothes and it ended up taking a life of its own. A lot of people tried to copy my logo and name but the original always stands tall.”
Through every phase of his journey—from the music scene to the sidelines—Coach Pooh has redefined what “Da Trap” stands for. Once a phrase tied to the hustle, it now represents perseverance, mentorship and growth. For him, it’s all about turning lessons into legacy, and using his story to make sure the next generation gets their shot too.