CARSON, Calif. – Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan took their pick-and-roll off the court Wednesday, as Paul picked the next Boys & Girls Club to be updated and Jordan rolled to Carson to help Paul make it happen.
Paul and Jordan teamed with State Farm, NBA Cares, the L.A. Clippers Foundation and the Chris Paul Family Foundation to open the newly refurbished club as part of the State Farm “Exist to Assist” program, with renovations that included new technology, a new basketball court, sporting equipment and security upgrades.
The children in attendance wasted no time putting the technology to use, as they participated in an online scavenger hunt with their laptops. It was at that point Paul and Jordan joined the fun, surprising the kids in the room.
“I love anything to do with kids, anything to better our youth and put a smile on anybody’s face is really what I do it for,” Jordan said. “Growing up, I was a parks and recs kid… but we never had anybody from any team come and talk to us about anything or do anything like this, so me just being able to come for the kids to be able to have something to give them a jumpstart or a push is great.”
Paul and the Chris Paul Family Foundation have made it a mission to level the playing field for children everywhere by providing technology and resources to kids that might not have them otherwise. That was the case when Paul helped refurbish the Boys & Girls Club in Watts and showed up for the unveiling last year, and it was the case once again Wednesday with the refurbishment in Carson.
He said the most rewarding part is actually seeing the children the renovations and updates impact.
“Having an opportunity to come here with these kids and just to speak to them for a couple minutes or whatnot, you may say something that impacts these kids and changes their lives,” Paul said.
Following the scavenger hunt, Paul and Jordan spoke to the children on the new basketball court before joining former Clipper Lamond Murray for a clinic, helping the kids work on their basketball skills.
“It’s the technology they provided, the quality equipment,” said Kim Richards, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson, “but the other piece is it’s the kids’ morale and self-confidence that somebody cares enough about them to do something like this.”
The children at the Carson Boys & Girls Club ranged in ages from 6-14. None of them knew the basketball players would be in attendance, which added to the excitement.
In preparing for the appearance, Richards said the club was fortunate Paul’s mother went multiple times on walkthroughs before the event to give her thoughts and provide an idea of how the day would go.
Paul said he’s blessed to be in a position and to have a platform where he can help out by giving back and making an impact in the community, but he also realizes none of it can happen without the team around him.
“It’s been the coolest thing ever with ‘Exist to Assist’ and to see all the legwork that goes in,” Paul said. “I always say, ‘It’s bigger than me.’ I’m, a lot of times, somewhat a visionary, but I get an opportunity to come and show up and get a chance to see it, and there’s so many people I’m grateful for that are a part of my team – whether it’s State Farm, or my personal team and the NBA and Jordan – that get to come really do the legwork of it, and I’m just proud to be a part of it.”
Adriana Galdamez, public affairs specialist for State Farm, said the “Exist to Assist” program tracked Paul’s assists on the court last year and donated $5 to a Boys and Girls Club for each one. That helps the community, but she added that Paul showing up in person to interact with the children is also important, because kids respond to his presence and see him as a role model.
Paul was hands-on as the clinic got underway, teaching kids how to dribble with each hand, while at the other end of the court Jordan went through passing drills with the rest of the kids.
Afterward, Jordan took a moment to pose with the children for a picture.
“You can’t beat this,” Jordan said. “To interact with these kids was great. I see myself in a lot of them, as a big kid at heart.”