Growing up in Maywood, Ill., Magic guard Jevon Carter played on an outdoor court at “Tenth Park,” where he discovered his love for the game of basketball.
Last summer, Carter and other community leaders from the village located in the Chicago area helped refurbish that same court he used in his youth.
So, it wasn’t surprising when Carter, who signed with Orlando on Feb. 6 after spending the better part of the last three seasons with the Bulls, agreed to help the Magic and AdventHealth unveil a newly refurbished outdoor basketball court at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday.
“Our team, we are so fortunate to have players who get it,” Magic executive vice president of marketing and social responsibility Shelly Wilkes said. “They truly understand the necessity of connecting with the community they play in. They see the value of being around the fans that support them, and Jevon, it was not a hard ask.
“We said, ‘We’re doing this event, would you be interested?’ and it was an immediate yes,” Wilkes added. “And that just shows the character of who he is as a player on and off the court.”
Carter, who’s averaged 8.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists during 21.3 minutes per night across 20 games since he joined Orlando, explained why it was important for him to attend Wednesday’s event despite only being with the Magic for less than two months and playing the past two nights.
“It’s very important,” he said. “Being a face in the community is dope and then being able to come and interact with the kids is even doper. This was stuff I was able to do as a kid that helped me chase my dreams. So, just coming out and being a face for the kids, it’s always dope to come out do stuff like this.”
Wilkes and Carter were joined by AdventHealth East Orlando chief operating officer Paul Adeogun, school representatives and other community leaders to open the Magic-themed court that was completed as a collaborative effort between the Magic, AdventHealth, and Oak Ridge High School.
The Magic and AdventHealth also teamed up with local artist “Swishh Dreams,” ACE Courts, and GAF to provide sustainable and heat-resistant paint for longevity of the court, the team said. It was the seventh of 20 courts the Magic and AdventHealth plan to refurbish in the Central Florida area.
Jason Beede/Orlando Sentinel
From left to right, Magic EVP of marketing and social responsibility Shelly Wilkes, Magic guard Jevon Carter, OCPS board member Vicki-Elaine Felder and AdventHealth East Orlando COO Paul Adeogun help unveil a newly refurbished outdoor basketball court at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday. (Jason Beede/Orlando Sentinel)
Roughly 30 Oak Ridge students, who were provided lunch and some team swag by the Magic, got to join Carter on the court for various basketball drills after the ceremony.
While some of the students were flying through the sky for dunks and layups, the impact of the courts goes beyond hoops, too.
“For one, it can definitely keep you out of trouble,” Carter said. “Coming having fun with kids and just playing, having fun playing ball, doing what you love. … And then just building community. Coming in, staying together, give afterschool activities. It’s always dope.”
And it’s meaningful that the Magic themselves helped the local project come to fruition.
“That is beyond huge,” Adeogun said about the franchise’s involvement. “I was once a kid. I played a lot of basketball. I never had an NBA team behind me. I can only imagine the excitement that these kids have just having the support of the NBA, being so close to them.
“When you think about the NBA, it’s a professional sport,” he added. So, usually they seem kind of far off. You only see them from the stadiums and on TV. But to have them here in your community, that’s huge. It helps our community as a whole do better.”
Carter, who brought his one-year old daughter with him to the event, shared advice for the high school students he got to interact with during the event.
“Just don’t give up,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of trial and tribulation you’re going to go through in life. There’s going to be a lot of people telling you stuff that you can’t do. And I would just say, don’t give up.
“Just keep chasing your dreams no matter how hard things may seem,” he added.
From a small town outside of Chicago to now in his eighth year in the NBA, Carter is proof of his own advice.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com