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This marks the seventh basketball court in the local community the Magic and AdventHealth have refurbished
ORLANDO – For just about any true basketball enthusiast, there’s a story of a hoop that made them fall in love with the game.
Whether it was a driveway setup, school gymnasium, park court, YMCA or a basket on the back of a bedroom door, there’s usually a hoop that helped cultivate their passion for the game.
Orlando Magic guard Jevon Carter, who signed with the team as a free agent on Feb. 6, has experienced this firsthand. And that’s why Carter made sure he was in attendance for the unveiling of a collaborative project by the Magic and AdventHealth that aims to bring even more of those stories to life.
On Wednesday, as part of the Magic and AdventHealth's continuing commitment to the local community, the two teamed up to unveil a newly refurbished basketball court at Oak Ridge High School.
Carter along with Magic Executive Vice President of Marketing and Social Responsibility Shelly Wilkes, AdventHealth East Orlando Chief Operating Officer Paul Adeogun, members of the Magic staff and community leaders were on hand to celebrate the occasion with a basketball clinic for students from Oak Ridge High School.
The Magic provided lunch, team basketballs and other gifts for the over 30 youth in attendance.
The court was a collaborative effort between the Magic, AdventHealth, and Oak Ridge High School. The Magic and AdventHealth also teamed up with artist Swish Dreams, ACE Courts, and GAF to provide sustainable and heat-resistant paint for longevity of the court.
“It’s dope,” said Carter. “(The Magic) and AdventHealth do a great job of refurbishing a court every year. They did a fantastic job. Even the artist that painted the court did an amazing job. It’s good to come out, spend time with the kids and give them hope to keep striving and keep going for your dreams.”
Carter recently contributed to the refurbishment of his childhood court, 10th park back in Maywood, Illinois. It helped his passion for basketball blossom and now bears a tribute to him along with other contributors and professional athletes that grew up in the area.
For the Magic and AdventHealth, this is the seventh of 20 courts that they plan to refurbish in the Central Florida area. The courts completed include Wicklow Elementary (August 2021), the Callahan Center (May 2022), the James R. Smith Neighborhood Center (March 2023), Lee P. Moore Park (on April 5), Kissimmee City Chamber Park Community Center (Jan. 2024), Coastline Park in Sanford (March 2025) and the current one – Oak Ridge High School (March 2026).
“This is our seventh court that we’ve done with AdventHealth and the commitment is 20,” Wilkes explained. “We hope to actually do even more than that over time. Really the goal of this is a commitment to the community that really is truly at the foundation of who the Orlando Magic are and of who AdventHealth is. Hopefully this not only inspires the next generation of basketball fans, but also keeps kids active.”
As an original Champions of the Community partners, AdventHealth has been working with the Magic on community projects that impact and benefit Central Florida. Magic Champions of the Community partners represent organizations that are committed to improving the lives of all Central Floridians. Since the Magic and AdventHealth partnership began back in 1989, they continue to grow their approach in community programming, unparalleled branding and category exclusivity in the area of healthcare while expanding their commitment to the local community.
“It’s so exciting to see AdventHealth and the Magic be a part of making sure (children) have a safe place to play,” Adeogun said. “A safe place to make sure that everyone is healthy, (even in terms of) mental health. We have a campaign with the Orlando Magic – the ‘You Good’ campaign – to make sure kids are doing well. We’re supporting them as best that we can, so our community can continue to grow.”