JUNKYARD DOG
Ex-NBAer teaches youth the game
A former NBA player who came to Saskatchewan to teach kids more about the sport he loves may have left with a better knowledge of the country where he lives.
The BMO NBA Courts Across Canada project travels to communities around Canada to help refurbish gymnasiums for kids and give free youth basketball clinics. One of the handful of stops on the coast-to-coast tour was the Charles Red Hawk Elementary School on the Dakota Whitecap First Nation on Tuesday.
Jerome ‘Junk Yard Dog’ Williams, the leader of the NBA clinics, said he loves being able to connect with smaller communities — and feels positive he learned something on the First Nation.
“It’s just an awesome experience. I get to not only visit Saskatchewan, but also engage — engage the youth here, and engage the community,” said Williams, who played four of his nine NBA seasons in Toronto and became a fan favourite with the Raptors for his hustling style. “Those are the kind of things I cherish, because you really get to know the community you’re helping.”
While visiting the school, Williams heaped praise on Chief Darcy Bear, saying Bear taught him a lot about Canada’s history and his own history.
Williams said he was impressed by the great hospitality of Saskatoon and the Dakota Whitecap First Nation on his first trip to Saskatchewan. The chance to experience culture and history around the country is one of his favourite parts of these Canada-wide ventures, he said.
“It’s been over the top ... Whitecap Dakota First Nation is the best. They roll out the red carpet and really make me feel at home,” he added. “The one thing I’m going to take away is the history.”
The gymnasium at the elementary school was filled with children, coaches, and representatives from NBA Canada and BMO. As a clinician, Williams was equal parts mentor, joker and teammate as the kids went through shooting and dribbling drills.
A smiling Bear, visiting the school to see the clinic, called it a great way to get kids more active and involved in the community.
“This is certainly where we promote education, culture, language ... but also sport is very important for youth development,” Bear noted, adding that it’s good to see companies give back to the community.
For the youth taking part in the basketball clinic, it was pure fun and excitement to be able to work with a genuine pro. Student Royce Sinclair said it was “pretty cool” to have a pro basketball player in the school.
“It’s my first time seeing an NBA player out here,” Sinclair said.