A young kid, about 9 years old, was tugging on an NBA player’s shirt. But he wasn’t asking for an autograph. He just wanted to play ball.
“Why can’t we have a game?” the kid said.
Royal Ivey turned and smiled. Aside from suiting up and playing hoops, there aren’t many places he would rather be.
“Because ya’ll still learning how to play,” Ivey said. “Next year.”
The setting was Saturday afternoon, the final day of the third annual Royal Ivey Skills Clinic in Hollis, Queens. The younger kids don’t play games; they run through drills with people like Ivey and assorted pro guys he’ll invite from year to year.
Much like this event, it’s a process. And one that’s still in its infant stages, according to Ivey, who recently signed a free agent deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder after playing this past season with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I got bigger plans,” Ivey said. “I got a bigger vision. It’s coming along slowly, but it’s coming along the right way. And that’s what I’m most proud about. We’re doing it the right way. The kids are learning. We’ve still got the workshop. We’ve still got the clinic.”
This is the pet project of Ivey, who grew up in Hollis and attended Cardozo HS, and his father, Rod. Though he has brought in sponsors like Game Over, run by legendary former NYC high-school coach Ted Gustus, and Powerade, Ivey still foots the bill for just about everything himself.
He plans to get more sponsors next year and expand the event in Hollis Park. Ivey wants to take things to the next level – a tournament with clinic alums – to see how the teaching process has done helped the kids. A middle school tournament, he said, is on the docket first and then a high-school tournament down the line.
“That’s my grand plan – to allow these kids to play,” Ivey said. “They came and went through the clinic and now they’re gonna get a chance to play.”
Aside from the skill drills done, the players also get pulled off the court for workshops that teach them that there is much more to their future than basketball. On Saturday, Ivey’s mother Jennifer, an artist like Rod, took a group of players inside to draw. The University of Texas, the alma mater of Ivey and fellow camp counselors T.J. Ford (Indiana Pacers) and D.J. Augustin (Charlotte Bobcats), even created a special workshop on sports careers outside of playing especially for the clinic.
“The best part is the kids,” Augustin said. “They look like they’re having a great time with all the activities, the guest speakers and teaching and just being around guys like myself, T.J. and Royal – guys they see on video games and TV – they just looks like they’re having a great time.”
Almost 100 kids per day showed up at Hollis Park, which was up from last year’s number. Ford was impressed with the sheer volume and said he would be back every year if he’s able to be.
“It’s a great turnout,” he said. “It’s amazing to see how many kids actually came out. It’s a free camp so kids can just walk up, they get a t-shirt and they’re able to go through basketball drills with Roy, myself and D.J. and get lessons.”
Ivey, meanwhile, is accessible as can be. There’s no entourage or attitude. Kids approach him regularly, even talking trash.
“They’ll get on me,” he said. “I’ll allow them to play me one-on-one and stuff like that. They talk smack, but I enjoy it, man. The kids get to interact with you. They’re not around people like me all the time. It’s a great feeling. This is my neighborhood and I have to give back.”