Sundiata Kofi Gaines was born on April 18, 1986, in Jamaica, and holds United States citizenship. His secondary education took place at Archbishop Molloy High School before he moved on to collegiate competition.

At the University of Georgia, Gaines played basketball for the Georgia Bulldogs, representing the program at the collegiate level. The university provided the setting in which he competed as part of an organized athletic program within the American South.

Gaines went on to work as a professional basketball player and currently holds the status of free agent. His career has taken him from his birthplace in Jamaica through schooling in the United States and into the professional ranks of the sport.