PLANO – It has been a unique summer for the Mavs Academy Hoop Camps.
Considering that one of the goals of the camps at various locations around the Metroplex is to cultivate the next generation of Maverick fans, this year’s camps have been wildly successful for a very specific reason.
“Anytime we have summer camps going and we also have our Dallas Mavericks playing, it’s a really big deal,” said Ben Hunt, director of Mavs Academy. “The kids absolutely did know what was happening. The buzz around our summer camps was great. I haven’t experienced anything like it.
“Everybody knew that our team was doing something special and being part of something unique.”
The 10-week run of Mavs’ youth camps ran from late May through this week, with the final camp ending on Aug. 2 at Prestonwood Christian Academy’s sports and fitness center.
Most seasons, the Mavericks are finished with their season. Not this year. They reached the NBA Finals that stretched into mid-June before the championship chase ended just short against the Boston Celtics. The playoff run stretched the Mavs Academy staff thin. But they pulled off the events without a hitch.
And it required some agility. The hoop camps, which usually feature current Maverick players, had to adjust with all of the players busy through the end of June, when you include recovery time from the playoff run.
Hunt and the staff brought in Devin Harris, Salah Mejri, Josh Howard, Rolando Blackman and other former Maverick greats to interact with the kids while the team was busy in the playoffs.
It was a Herculean team effort. More than 2,700 kids attended the camps this summer.
And each week, they were delivered a message from a former or current NBA player.
Like Naji Marshall, one of the Mavericks’ acquisitions in free agency who spoke to the kids and then played against them in shooting games.
His message?
“Just to work hard, no matter what,” he said. “If it doesn’t work the first time, don’t give up. You can make it. I’m proof.”
The kids on Wednesday grilled Marshall with a few questions, including one camper who wanted to know how far away from the basket was the longest shot Marshall has ever made.
He walked back toward the basket, nearly to the free-throw line. Then turned around and pointed at the basket on the other end of the court.
“Here,” he said.
Oohs and ahhs were clearly audible from the campers.
While basketball is the conduit that the Mavericks use to work with campers, it’s not the only message. These camps have been going on for 31 years now. This is Hunt’s 10th season either working with or overseeing the camps.
And he looked a little like a proud papa this week at Prestonwood. He’s been organizing not only the hoop camps, but development, gaming, dance and GEM (Girls Empowered by Mavs) camps.
“It’s great to be in the community this time of year with great support from our legends and our alumni to come out and support us while the season was still going on for us is something special,” Hunt said. “Overall, this is No. 31 for the Dallas Mavericks. Just that alone is something special. It’s a huge team effort. Our Mavs Academy team and coaches that are with us all summer, our leadership team. It’s what makes this what it is every year.”
Marshall’s busy summer: Since signing with the Mavericks as a free agent in early July, Marshall has been spending most of his time at his home in Washington.
He also had an impressive, social-media highlighted stint at the Brunson League in Baltimore, which is one of the best pro-am leagues on the East Coast and has no connection to former Maverick Jalen Brunson.
“It’s been around before that,” Marshall said. “And there are a lot of players there.”
Marshall also has been looking for a residence near American Airlines Center as well as working on his game during the offseason.
“I’ve been working on everything,” he said. “My body, my shooting, just tightening up all my skills.”
One area that doesn’t need a lot of work is on the defensive end of the floor, where Marshall was a dirty-work provider throughout his four seasons at New Orleans before joining the Mavericks.
“They gave me that kind of role and I just ran with it,” he said. “I know my game. And the people we have on this team, they’re going to make me better. And I know I can make them better. So I’m just excited to get this going.”
X: @ESefko
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