Brooklyn Nets surprise youth athletes with basketball camp scholarships
PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (PIX11) -- Brooklyn Nets player Cam Johnson and Ticketmaster teamed up for a surprise that left 20 young Brooklynites beaming with excitement as they announced a basketball camp scholarship to help the athletes live out their hoop dreams.
Eleven-year-old Angel Bryant is a rising star on the basketball court. She has been dribbling, shooting, and dreaming of the game since she was old enough to hold a basketball. She fell in love with the sport after being inspired by her uncle, former Nets player Pearl Washington. She hopes to carry on the family legacy, with dreams of one day playing in the WNBA.
"When I first saw his games, I got very inspired," Bryant said. "I started watching basketball more. I started watching NBA girls basketball and I got really inspired from it."
Bryant and other promising young athletes sharpened their skills at a basketball clinic Wednesday. They learned the ins and outs of the game from Nets player Cam Johnson. He started the session by giving the players some words of wisdom before taking them through some drills.
"It was nice to meet an actual NBA player and know how it is to be an NBA player and what they went through the challenges, and how they got to where they are now," said Able Burrell, who attended the clinic.
"I think I have the lucky advantage of them listening a little bit more when I talk as opposed to maybe me 10 years ago, and so I try to take advantage of that and inspire them and encourage them," Johnson said.
The stage was set at the Barclays Center, where the sound of basketballs dribbling echoed through the air. Little did the 10-- to 14-year-olds know, their afternoon took a remarkable turn. Johnson unveiled the ultimate surprise, announcing scholarships to a summer camp with the community-based basketball organization Brooklyn Basketball.
As the Nets look to nurture the next generation of athletes, Bryant hopes to create her own legacy and inspire others, one dribble at a time.
"Make everyone happy for me and maybe people can get inspired by me," said Bryant.
Brooklyn Basketball's goal is to give young athletes one-on-one instruction while building character and giving them a strong understanding of the game. They're doing just that through their summer camp, which kicks off in August.