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Serge Ibaka, C.J. Wilcox Help Celebrate Jr. NBA Week with All-Star Shootout Challenge

Josh Cohen
Digital News Manager

By Josh Cohen
Oct. 21, 2016

ORLANDO – Serge Ibaka and C.J. Wilcox are newcomers to Central Florida. They were each acquired by the Orlando Magic in separate trades this past offseason. However, it hasn’t taken them long to discover how popular basketball is in the area.

On Friday, Oct. 21, Ibaka and Wilcox helped mentor youth and teach kids the fundamentals of the game during an All-Star Shootout Challenge at Gotha Middle School. As part of Jr. NBA Week and the Magic Youth Basketball Academy, 1,100 students packed into the gymnasium and participated in various competitions.

The goal with all Magic Youth Basketball Academy events is to teach children the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership and health and wellness.

“It’s great for them (students) to start to learn and love sports at a young age,” Ibaka said. “First, they have to fall in love with the sport and then the next step is to teach them how to be healthy.”

Friday’s shootout was like a replica NBA All-Star Saturday Night. It included a 3-point contest, a hot shot team challenge and a team relay skills challenge. Also on hand to assist in the fun were Magic Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw, Magic Dancers and STUFF The Magic Mascot.

“This teaches you hard work,” Wilcox said. “To play on a team and work well with others, I think that’s great to learn at an early age.”

All 30 NBA teams this week are hosting youth basketball events in their communities. In Orlando, especially, there is a tremendous emphasis to get kids involved in the game. The Magic Youth Basketball Academy is already having a positive impact. Participation in clinics, camps and leagues is significantly growing in this community.

Educators have noticed the correlation between academic success and health and fitness. The more active a child is in activities like basketball, the more likely they will thrive in the classroom.

“Students that are continuously having health challenges they are absent a lot; as a result they are sometimes falling behind,” Gotha Middle School Principal Patrice Knowles said. “So what we try to do here is we try to encourage students to eat healthy. When they eat here, we know they are eating well.”

Having a pro sports team like the Magic involved also helps inspire students.

“Believe me, this is just like a pivotal moment for these students,” Knowles said. “This is their home team so it means a lot. So the collaboration with the students and their home team, it gives them that pride. I’m all about Gotha pride. And now we can say Magic pride.”