Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Isaiah Joe & Jaylin Williams gave back to their hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas last month, as the two former Arkansas Razorbacks held a youth basketball camp, took part in community events, and stopped by different local restaurants.
Here’s some top quotes from Tanner Sikes (Thunder Youth Programs Coordinator), Michael Beaumont (Fort Smith Public Schools), Joe, Jason Morland (Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club), and Williams.
(via Oklahoma City Thunder):
Sikes: “We’re here for a Thunder Youth basketball camp. So with Jaylin Williams & Isaiah Joe being on our team; it’s a natural connection. We also have community events going on at the Boys & Girls Club. We’re also popping into a couple local restaurants around the city. So we’re just bringing the Thunder out to Fort Smith today.”
Beaumont: “A lot of excitement today, as you can see. Half the town is here, and the other half is peeking in from outside, everybody’s looking to see these professional athletes who just happen to be former [Northside] Grizzlies. What’s so exciting for the community is these kids were raised here, went to high school here, both went to Arkansas to be Razorbacks, and then both of them playing for OKC; you can’t write a script like that.”
Joe: “Coming back here is surreal every single time. It’s been cool to see, especially being a guy born and raised from here. I love seeing the Fort Smith community come together and still do these events. Big thanks to OKC for throwing this camp here because the people love it, man.”
Morland: “Once we found out that they were coming; it just sent everything to the next level. We’re so excited and proud of them since they had their growing up here at the Boys & Girls Club to see what they’re doing now, and then for two guys to kinda follow each other and end up on the same NBA team is unheard of.”
Williams: “I think the main thing that we want to show the kids is that they can do it. We grew up in the same area, we went to the same schools, the same Boys & Girls Club, same parks, everything like that; and the main thing that I want them to take from this is that they can do it, too. They can do whatever they put their mind to, and no matter where you’re from; you can do it, too.”
