‘Jet’ fuels students’ enthusiasm
Jason Terry’s NBA career might have ended, but ‘The Jet’ is still helping a special group of kids take some shots.
Terry, who helped the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA championship in 2011, visited Beijing Experimental School for the Deaf on Wednesday to host a training session for hearing-impaired kids.
The initiative was part of the NBA Cares program in China.
Apart from teaching basic shooting skills, Terry also participated in a series of interactive activities with the students, including making Chinese knots, joining a language class and trying his hand at calligraphy.
The man considered one of the best shooters in NBA history also donated basketball equipment to the school while the kids presented him with a handmade sculpture of a panda holding a basketball.
“I just want to tell these special kids to love, to dream big and to work hard to achieve their dreams,” said Terry.
“All these kids are special and they face challenges, but that doesn’t stop them. It’s the same in basketball ... here are some very difficult games. Sometimes your life will face some challenges. Through basketball, you can learn how to overcome them.”
The 41-year-old Terry, who suited up for 51 games with the Milwaukee Bucks last season, said he’s not ruling out a return to the court.
“Right now I keep my eyes open, but I’m enjoying my post-playing career,” he said. “I’ve dedicated a lot of my time to events like this NBA Cares program and also developing youth basketball.”
The kids were thrilled to exchange high-fives with a genuine hoops legend.
“The students were excited for days after they heard that Jason Terry would visit our school,” said principal Xie Aiming.
“Basketball has always been a vital part of our education, and many of our students are NBA fans. We are looking forward to having more cooperation with NBA China in the future.”
NBA Cares has a history of interacting with fans in the world’s most populous nation. Last summer, for example, players and coaches from the Philadelphia 76ers participated in a dedication ceremony for an NBA Cares Learn and Play Center at Shenzhen’s Nanshan Lishan School. The center features a refurbished outdoor basketball court and a new student reading room.
The project also involved the donation of computers, books and basketball equipment. Following the ceremony, players and coaches participated in a hoops clinic for students.
In Shanghai, Dallas Mavericks players and coaches hosted a clinic in partnership with the Special Olympics to celebrate that organization’s 50th anniversary.
“Over the summer we had 25 current and former NBA players in China, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. We particularly are focusing on youth development,” said Mark Tatum, the NBA’s deputy commissioner and chief operating officer.
“We have a partnership with the Ministry of Education, and up to now we will have 4,000 schools and four million kids playing in the junior NBA programs in China.”