FORT LAUDERDALE - Jalen DeLoach and Kalen DeLoach both call Savannah home.

Jalen is a 6-foot-9 power forward on Georgia’s basketball team, while older brother Kalen is a starting linebacker for Florida State.

Just don’t suggest to Jalen that basketball is his only game. He thinks he’s pretty good at football, too.

“I’m an elite safety–downhill,” Jalen DeLoach smiled to reporters after one of Georgia’s recent games.

It turns out he wasn’t kidding.

“Oh yeah, easy,” Kalen DeLoach said, backing up his little brother’s words. “He used to always be hitting, he’d definitely hit somebody.”

Unfortunately for Jalen DeLoach, he won’t be able to see his brother play, like Kalen and their father Rob did when Georgia’s basketball team played at Florida State earlier this year.

Georgia has a basketball game with Alabama A&M on Saturday afternoon. But he’ll be there in spirit, and when his own game is over, he will rush home to watch his big brother against the Bulldogs.

“I’m proud of him. I’m proud of their team,” Jalen DeLoach said. “I’m just a fan. Watching them play every Saturday has been fun.”

The game promises to be memorable for the pair, but they won’t be the only ones.

Both DeLoach brothers are also close friends with fellow Savannah Bulldogs Kamari Lassiter and Warren Brinson. Former Bulldog Nolan Smith was also part of the pack.

The group grew up together, going as far back as three- and four-year-olds, sharing the same dreams and the same athletic goals.

“It’s going to be everything coming full circle. Me, Kalen, and Jalen all played for the Savannah Stars and Coach Rob (Rob DeLoach, father of Jalen and Kalen) was our coach. This is something we all dreamed of, not only getting to play against each other, but to be able to play at the top schools in the country.”

Kalen, who gave up basketball his sophomore year to focus on football, said their athletic careers will always be intertwined.

“We’ve all just made sure we kept the main thing the main thing,” said Kalen DeLoach, repeating a message used frequently by Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart. “We all make sure nobody slacks off.”

That doesn’t mean the longtime buds aren’t afraid to poke a little fun.

Lassiter is one of the more serious, stoic players on Georgia’s football team.

The Bulldog corner rarely cracks a smile during interactions with the press, but even Lassiter could not contain himself when asked if Jalen DeLoach’s “elite free safety” comment was a legitimate claim.

Lassiter threw his head back in laughter.

“Look, I think he might be gassing a little bit,” Lassiter laughed. “That’s all I’m going to say.”

Maybe, maybe not. Athleticism runs in the family.

Taylor DeLoach, the older sister to Jalen and Kalen, was a Big Ten champ in both the Long Jump and 400-meter relay at Ohio State.

Taylor graduated and Kalen has his degree. Jalen is on track for his, too.

“My parents are really proud of all three kids; to go play Division I, at Power 5 schools is not unheard of, but it’s rare,” Kalen Deloach said. “I’ve just got my degree. That’s two of the three. We’re just waiting on my little brother.”

After Saturday’s game, the journeys for each will continue.

Kalen DeLoach will begin training for the NFL Draft and could be joined by Lassiter and Brinson if they decide to move on from college.

Jalen, meanwhile, will continue his first season as a member of the Bulldogs basketball team, which is 9-3 heading into Saturday’s game against Alabama A&M.

“It’s definitely different as we’re on different journeys. After this, I might not see him for a couple of weeks. But I’m still there to support him, no matter what he needs,” Kalen DeLoach said. “I know his sport is different from mine, but I’m going to be pushing him to be his best every day, because I know where we came from. We don’t always get the opportunity, so make sure you take advantage, and make sure you give it 100 percent at whatever you do.”