Adams comes home to give back.
Green Bay Packers star receiver helping refurbish his old stomping grounds
EAST PALO ALTO >> Coming home is a regular thing for Davante Adams, but this time was different.
It wasn’t because the Green Bay Packers receiver produced the best statistical season of his career in 2020, led the NFL in touchdown receptions and put himself in the league MVP conversation. (Nor did it have to do with the offseason jet-setting of his current quarterback and fellow Bay Area product Aaron Rodgers, who he requested not to talk about.)
Adams, who now owns a home in Danville, had stopped by this YMCA and the adjacent park many times since playing here as a kid. But last Tuesday evening, he was there with a purpose: to promote a partnership with the Building Better Lives program. The program, sponsored by Optimum Nutrition, is designed to increase fitness accessibility in underserved communities.
Adams, 28, strolled into the gym wearing white Nikes, black sweats and a long-sleeve white T-shirt, then took a brief trip down memory lane with the Bay Area News Group. He also responded to recent comments by Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who said when Adams’ contract expires after this season, he would put on a “fullcourt press” to reunite the duo that starred together at Fresno State.
“I’m a Packer, so I can’t really get too far ahead on that,” Adams said. “When the season ends and if nothing’s figured out, then maybe we’ll have something to talk about.”
The full conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity, can be found below.
EVAN WEBECK >> We’re inside the gymnasium of the East Palo Alto YMCA. Why don’t you start by explaining why we’re here and what brought you together with the Building Better Lives program.
DAVANTE ADAMS >> When I found out I’d have the opportunity to service my community, that’s all they really had to say to me. Thinking about a 10- to 15-year-old Davante running around here, it’s a much different scene. But with the collaboration between me and Optimum Nutrition and this Building Better Lives program, it’s been a crazy opportunity for me to give back to my community. Obviously their focus is on underserved communities, and to see a park that I grew up going to my whole life and I hear that they’re going to put a positive twist on it and something more positive than it’s been used for in the past, it’s a great feeling. Getting paid and doing partnerships like that, it’s always great, but when it benefits other people, especially the type of person that I am, that’s really what does it for me. They could’ve just been wanting to do commercials, but this is geared more toward the type of person that I am. It’s more authentic to Davante Adams.
Put us in the shoes of young Davante running around in East Palo Alto.
Tons of distractions. I grew up going to school outside of this community (at Palo Alto High School, where he won the 2010 CIF state football championship). My parents wanted me to be able to focus. Obviously I’ve got my foundation here, my friends here, but being away when it’s time to learn and taking that seriously, I thank my parents for giving me that opportunity to branch out
a little bit. I think it influenced my ability to communicate with other people. It’s a much different community here. So to be able to branch out, it helped me out and made me a little more versatile. From a resources standpoint, this gym is completely different. I grew up living and playing in here. Before I even played football, I was 5 years old in this same gym, playing YMCA basketball.
It’s kind of crazy pulling up. I’ve been here tons of times since I was young. But it’s crazy to pull up and see the difference. And then to see what continues to happen with collaborations like what we’re doing now, it’s huge. I know the kids definitely appreciate it. I was a 10- to 15-yearold just praying that we’d have more resources at our park or more resources here in our weight room at the YMCA.
Do you have any specific memories of playing where we are now?
It was like Game 7 of the NBA Championship for me, coming here at 5 or 6 years old. I still remember. I’ve got pictures of me in the YMCA T-shirt — light blue T-shirts, gray T-shirts — just running around. It’s definitely a lot of great memories that have added up over the years here.
And just across town, it was a decade ago last month that you were walking across the stage at Palo Alto High School, a few months removed from a state football championship
and soon on your way to Fresno State.
I played Pop Warner over on that field over there and I got some high school memories, winning that state championship. So many memories . ...
It was a rocky road. I played a little football when I was really young, but I didn’t start until my junior year. My cousin, who was a big influence in my athletic career over time, said you should go out for receiver. I said let’s give it a shot. I went out and played a little and caught a couple balls over a couple dudes heads. It was just a natural feeling because basketball it’s about high-pointing the ball; when you’re getting a rebound, you can’t let it fall down. So it was really natural for me to go play receiver.
Ten years later, with the accolades you’ve collected, what place do those memories hold in your mind?
It’s tough to consistently think about it because things are moving fast and there’s so much going on, but it definitely ranks toward the top, man. I’m always going to be really appreciative for those moments. I feel like those moments were really defining moments for me. They ended up being really huge in my development for who I am today. Who even knows if the other things, the NFL accolades, if they would have happened without some of those things that took place before that.