SALT LAKE CITY — If you’re not an Ed Davis fan, you will be after learning what he’s doing with some of his free time this summer.
The new Utah big man, who recently signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Jazz, hosted a basketball camp for youth in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia.
Price of admission: Nothing.
As he told Virginia’s NBC12, Davis’s motivation was simple. The Benedictine High School product just wanted to give hope and opportunity to kids growing up in his old stomping grounds and who might be in underprivileged situations.
“It means a lot just to give these kids a role model,” he said. “Somebody to look up to and somebody who’s from this city, who lived here, went to high school here and was raised here.”
The forward/center’s message to kids: “There is hope that you can make it to the NBA or professional sports or just make it out of whatever struggle some of these kids are going through.”
The camp included motivational speeches from professionals outside of the basketball world, too, including lawyers and police officers.
It’s the third year in a row Davis has hosted the camp.
“When I got to the NBA, it was just something I felt I had to do,” he said. “I wanted to give poor kids a chance. … It’s my duty to give back, especially to this city.”
MORE LINKS
• Saturday was quite the day for the Ogden Raptors
• Former Pleasant Grove basketball star C.J. Wilcox is still grinding away
• Jazz star Donovan Mitchell and former Ute standout Kyle Kuzma of the Lakers had an entertaining Twitter exchange after one of the buddies changed his phone number and didn't forward it to the other one.
AND FINALLY …
While tearing it up at the British Open, Salt Lake City native Tony Finau took time to congratulate another up-and-coming young golfer with Utah ties. He did a video call with Preston Summerhays, who was born in Layton and whose family spends summers in the Beehive State, after the 17-year-old (birthday today) won the U.S. Junior Amateur on Saturday.
That big-time win came a week after Summerhays won the Utah State Amateur.
"I'm getting chills just talking to you,” Finau said.
"I can't wait to play with you in the #USOpen,” Summerhays responded.
Finau went on to have a great weekend himself, taking third place at The Open in Northern Ireland.