Growing up with a passion for basketball, Wendell Carter Jr. was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend youth camps hosted by NBA players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.
Carter parlayed what he learned during those training sessions with his natural size and skillset into a successful pro career that’s entering its eighth year next season.
Understanding the impact those camps had on him back in the day, the Magic center has continued to give back to the youth in the city of Orlando and his hometown of Atlanta.
It’s why on Saturday, Carter Jr.’s A Platform2 Foundation hosted its fourth annual basketball camp at Whitefield Academy in Atlanta to student athletes in 8th-12th grade for free.
“It means a lot to them,” Carter told the Sentinel over the phone about the camp. “The simplest impact is just me showing up, being here, feet on the ground, being in front of them, joking with them, laughing with them, being on the court rebounding … It’s those moments — and I’m not saying every kid out here is going to go to the NBA or anything like that but — it’s about those moments. They’re kids. These are moments, hopefully, they’ll never forget.
“The fact that I’m able to be a part of the kids’ lives and be able to help them to change the trajectory of their lives or continue their trajectory in the upward direction, it means a lot,” he added.
Earlier this year, Carter was recognized by the NBA as the winner of the Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for the month of January.
Most of Carter’s community work relates to another passion from his youth. Last August, Carter’s foundation hosted the Flight 34 Aviation Event to provide Orange County Public School students with an introduction to aviation.
Carter’s foundation exists “to provide youth and families with educational programs, resources and tools that impact and elevate their quality of life,” according to its website.
“One of the reasons I started my foundation was to teach kids how to be professional outside of the sports realm with us dialing into the STEM programs to aviation, giving kids different avenues to becoming different types of professionals,” he said. “But at the end of the day, basketball is my first love.
“The fact that I’m able to bring kids out to be able to just have fun, get up and down the court a little bit, get some fitness in, it always feels good knowing that they’re out there having fun,” he added.
Back in Atlanta, Carter saw dozens of kids come out for the free camp as well as some of his former high school coaches. Carter attended Pace Academy before taking his talents to Duke for one year.
“Just the support, it definitely means a lot and I never take it for granted,” he said.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com