Utah Jazz forward Royce O’Neale handed out backpacks, movie tickets, pizza, and arcade tokens to more than 70 children at his annual Strikes for Kids event on Tuesday. But when it came to his own teammates, O’Neale wasn’t feeling quite as charitable.
“I’ve heard it from Georges. I heard Mike, Donovan, Justin,” O’Neale said with a smile. “We’re going to see. We’ll get the kids taken care of and then we’re going to handle it. … I’m definitely going to win.”
The charity event for the Boys & Girls Club at Fat Cats bowling alley turned into a night of team bonding for the Jazz, with more than 10 players making appearances to sign autographs, take photos and, of course, enjoy some friendly competition on the lanes.
“We support each other and what Royce is doing,” Jazz point guard Mike Conley said. “We support the community. It’s just fun to be around and get to see everybody’s faces. It’s for a good cause and everybody’s having a good time.”
O’Neale said the support from his teammates on Tuesday highlighted the bond this year’s team is already forming.
“I’m really excited for the season,” he said. “Great group of guys. We’ve been training together. I think everybody’s excited. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”