Supporting the community has been a big goal of the Brooklyn Nets, and fans saw it in action again last month.
Camping With the Nets
On April 24, the Nets held a basketball camp for kids in the Brooklyn area. As part of Brooklyn Basketball, the Nets and New York Liberty work to give back to the community. Nets forward Cam Johnson, who has been an active part of the Brooklyn community, led the camp.
A camp attendee, Able Burrell, spoke to PIX 11 about the clinic.
“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,” the attendee said.
Johnson and Nets clinic instructors helped the kids with various skills and activities throughout the evening. The attendees ran full-court drills, practiced various defensive stances, and learned from one of the NBA’s best shooters. Johnson, the Nets and the Liberty have worked to make the game more accessible, and this event continued that work.
Johnson also shared some of his journey. Injuries in college slowed him down, but he persisted and stayed committed to the goals he set out to achieve. Johnson reminded the kids that “the NBA is not promised” and to focus on their education first. If you stay committed to your values, you can achieve the goals you set out to achieve.
After the camp concluded, Johnson and the Nets surprised the attendees. In conjunction with Ticketmaster, the Nets provided scholarships for the kids to attend a Brooklyn Basketball Camp this summer. Basketball camps can be expensive, and providing these kids with scholarships makes the game more financially accessible.
“I think that’s the point of the whole Brooklyn Basketball clinic, and I applaud them for it,” Johnson told Nets Republic of the gesture.
Lessons On and Off the Court
“Everything counts and the next best thing you can do in your position is the next right thing,” Johnson told the camp attendees.
Johnson’s level of dedication and care was put on display at the Nets’ basketball camp. He cheered the kids on, taught them various skills and provided positive encouragement as they worked together. As Johnson says, every day is an opportunity to learn something new.
“You can learn so much from the game,” Johnson told Nets Republic. “No matter who you are, no matter what your background is, there’s so much that the game has to offer and I hope everyone takes advantage of it. And like I said to them, there’s so much you can learn through it. There’s so much you can learn about yourself. Life lessons that I just hope that they’re able to pick away from the game and I think an environment like this is really cool for them.
“Being on the court that we play on and the building that we play in, you know as a kid, I would have loved it so much. I think they definitely embraced the opportunity today, they were locked in, and they did a great job.”
Johnson’s point about the building was reminiscent of something Liberty CEO Keia Clarke said in 2022. Arenas like Barclays Center being accessible to people of all backgrounds is a great step forward for equality in sports.
Johnson’s presence will be paramount as the Nets call Brooklyn home. He has spent time helping people and has made sure to interact with fans on and off the court. That presence goes a long way and makes everyone feel part of a close-knit community. As Brooklyn continues to embrace Johnson, he will reciprocate the love and work to make his new home a better place.