He attended John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham and led them to an undefeated 36-0 record in his junior season.

After giving him tips and "a lot of compliments," Jordan invited Steele to play in a two-on-two pickup game.

Steele declared himself eligible for the 2008 NBA draft but did not hire an agent, leaving the possibility open of returning to college.

Ten days after his final game, on January 21, 2009, Steele, who had been suffering from plantar fasciitis, announced that he would forgo the rest of the 2008-09 season, thus effectively ending his college career.

Steele's younger brother, Andrew, who also graduated from John Carroll Catholic High School, signed to play for Alabama during the 2008–09 season.