Ivey branches out into community - 9/1/2009

Philadelphia 76ers guard Royal Ivey will be back this patrolling the hardwood at the Wachovia Center this season, having re-signed with the team on August 10, 2009. He appeared in 71 games off the bench for the Sixers last season, averaging 3.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. For the season, he had 36 steals to 23 turnovers, posting the sixth-highest steal-to-turnover ratio (1.56) of any player in the league. After averaging just 8.0 minutes per game his first 21 games played last season, Ivey averaged 13.9 mpg over the final 50 games of 2008-09. He recorded career-highs in 3-pointers made (39) and free throw percentage (.791).

“We are fortunate to be able to bring back Royal Ivey, an experienced guard with good size who is familiar with our team and core philosophies,” Stefanski said. “Prior to making a decision on signing an additional guard, Coach Jordan expressed his interest in acquiring a player who puts the team first and plays aggressive defense, both qualities embodied by Royal."

SIXERS.COM caught up with Ivey to discuss his off-season, including his “Defending to Train” clinic that he hosted this summer in New York City. For video footage of Royal at his camp, click here:

http://www.texas360now.com/profiles/blogs/royal-ivey-holds-court-in
http://www.texas360now.com/video/royal-skills-clinic-2009

Could you talk a little about your basketball clinic and some of the things that you are working on with the kids?
“The clinic is called ‘Defending to Train.’ It’s at my old junior high school [Blair Academy] and it was free to the first 150 kids who signed up. We have different stations, including a workshop station with educational tools that my Mom prepared, plus we have the basketball stations that focus on shooting, defense, and passing. …. It’s bringing together the kids and the community and gives them something to do in the summertime.”

How long have you been running the clinic?
“This is my second year doing it, but in a different format. Like I told the kids, I’m going to do this for years to come. I finally got the format down and it went well. It’s just going to get bigger and better every year.”

It sounds like quite an undertaking; are you putting this clinic together by yourself?
“This year it has been all me. Basically I have been trying to brand myself in my community. A lot of the younger kids don’t know me because I’m older and they didn’t grow up with me. I’m branding the whole community telling them I’m from Hollis Queens [New York City]. We are having some very prestigious people coming out of our neighborhood, Run DMC, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J; the list goes on and on. I want to be a part of that list but I also want to be thinking about my community. I just want to give back to the community in every possible way. This is the start of taking baby steps and doing it.”

You’ve also been pretty busy with another project this off-season with a web site, correct?
“Everyone should go check out www.texas360now.com. It’s a web site I started with one of my former teammates and good friend, TJ Ford. The web site includes Kevin Durant, DJ Augustin, Daniel Gibson, LaMarcus Aldridge, myself, and DJ. It’s a web site where we do video blogs, we talk about on the court stuff and off the court issues. It’s a good web site, you can start your own blogs, you can take pictures and you can communicate with friends. It’s great; we started it about two months ago, we have about 600 hundred fans and we’re looking for more fans. During the season it’s going to be even better because the guys are going to be interacting with your screen streaming and different things like that. We are going to have more contests, some have been pretty slow but the idea is that it is going to pick up.”

So even though this was started by Texas alum, it’s alright if Oklahoma Sooners fans log on, right?
“It’s for everyone; it’s not just for people from the University of Texas. It’s for all different athletes. We are going to have interviews from many people. You don’t have to be a Texas fan or from Texas to join the web site, it’s open to everyone and I hope everyone enjoys it.”

It’s good to have you back with the Sixers, which sounds like the cap to a busy off-season for you?
“All these things have kept me busy this summer, besides working out and staying in the gym. I had a great summer and it’s winding down, I’m getting ready for the season. I’ve just been staying active in the community, on the web, and in the gym, just staying positive. That’s my whole outlook on life; just stay positive.”