Student basketball players in Nenana met someone to look up to on Saturday. They had to look way up to NBA player Willie Reed, who happens to be 6 feet, 11 inches tall.
He was with Team Hollywood Celebrity Streetball, and he spent the day mentoring young players of all ages and sharing his talent and expertise. He visits Alaska regularly, traveling to remote villages and meeting kids all over the state.
“I had so much fun here today,” he said, after a taking a slew of selfies with students and signing shoes.
Sometimes when the Team Hollywood crew comes to Alaska, it comes with an entourage of celebrities, but this week is the middle of March Madness, so that wasn’t possible this trip.
It didn’t matter. Kids were enthralled with Reed and DeAndre Smith, who plays the role of “Dr. Strange” when the full crew performs. They ran drills, offered advice on maneuvering and strategy and made every kid feel special. The day ended with a 3-on-3 tournament, complete with champion T-shirts and sweatshirts awarded to the winners.
Sports manager/agent Peter Adams spearheads the organization and has been making this outreach happen for 25 years.
“Working as a sports manager, sports agent, you do sports mostly without the education part,” he said. “So many communities, kids, need the lesson behind it. Not every NBA player went from high school to college, four years to the NBA. Not everyones’ journey is the same. It’s okay if you’re just playing sport to stay in shape. It’s okay if you’re not that good. I wanted them to get that message from professional athletes.”
The most valuable part of the day may have been when Reed sat in the bleachers with young players and shared stories about what it took for him to reach the NBA — the dedication to training and commitment to achieve his goal.
“It takes hard work,” he said, and described weekends dedicated to training in high school instead of hanging out with his friends.
Reed is currently on hiatus from the Miami Heat due to a heart condition, which is being continually monitored.
“I hope you learned a lot today,” he told the group of young players. “I hope you learned something we can take with us every single day.
“It takes a village, so stick together. Continue to encourage each other. Stay encouraged. Stay working. Stay dedicated. I really appreciate you all.”
The visit was supported by Nenana elder and former chief of the Nenana Native Council Donald Charlie, who has worked with Team Hollywood for years. Sponsors also included the Nenana Native Association, Toghotthele Corp., Nenana Ice Classic and Jerry Babcock.
