BOSTON (WHDH) – Several Celtics players joined the Boys and Girls Club in Dorchester for the grand opening of a new basketball court Friday.
Passing, dribbling, and shooting — children in Dorchester were able to hone their basketball skills with some pretty serious coaches.
“They’re competitive, we were doing one-on-one drills and they were trying to beat me, obviously they didn’t, you know, but the competitive spirit is there,” said Celtics forward Jordan Walsh.
Along with Walsh, Derrick White, Luke Kornet, and Al Horford joined some Celtics legends to help unveil the newly renovated basketball court at the Boys and Girls Blue Hill Club.
“I grew up a couple of miles from here. This was a court I played on. They had outdoor courts and swimming pools, so definitely a great experience to come back and see the great work that the Shamrock Foundation has done,” former Celtic Dana Barros said.
The NBA Cares Finals Legacy Project not only includes new flooring, graphics, backboards, and safety equipment for the gym, but improvements to the library and a new computer center.
“It’s all great, it’s all great tools for you guys to use and it’s important,” Horford said.
Horford gave one young volunteer a huge surprise. Kayla Collins started attending the Blue Hill Club when she was 11 years old, moving up to become a volunteer, and graduating from Boston Latin Academy.
“For her courage and her commitment to excellence — Kayla, we want to award you with two tickets for the game,” he said.
Collins said that the Celtics’ philanthropy makes them truly special.
“Everything that they’ve done so far and being involved in our Boys and Girls Cub really shows you they’re not just an NBA team, they’re here for the community and that’s the biggest thing,” Collins said.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wore a tie-dyed Walton heart pin to the unveiling in memory of Celtics legend Bill Walton, who was honored at TD Garden before Game 1 Thursday. He said Walton was a Boys and Girls Club kid himself, and is even in their hall of fame.
“He loved the game of basketball so much, he loved the community around the NBA,” Silver said. “I can’t even count the number of these events I was at with Bill, not just the United States, but all over the world.”
He said hundreds of children will benefit from the project for years to come, long after the finals are done at TD Garden.
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