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Donovan Mitchell extends list of charitable acts with basketball camp in Greenwich

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By Christian Baldwin

This past week NBA Star, Donovan Mitchell, held his annual basketball skills camp at the Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS). Campers ranging from grades 5 to 12 had the opportunity to play the game, learn from special guests, and interact with Mitchell himself. Campers were also given an opportunity to take individual pictures with Mitchell, Adidas backpacks filled with various items, and a pair of D.O.N. Issue 3’s, the third iteration of Mitchell’s shoe line. This is the third time Mitchell has held his camp in Greenwich and each year it has provided the campers with lessons on and off the court that will last them a lifetime.

The first session started at 9 in the morning and the last session ended at 8:30 at night. One of the camp directors mentioned he had worked at various NBA stars’ camps, but Mitchell was the only one to be present hours before it began and hours after it ended. Mitchell is very passionate about giving back to the communities that supported him, which is the reason he chooses to hold the camp at GCDS every year. “Being able to give back to kids not just in Greenwich, but in the Connecticut area as a whole, New York, New Jersey’”. Mitchell is known as one of the most charitable players in the NBA community and loves to show it every chance he gets. “Going back to my roots and giving opportunities to kids just like me is very important”. Mitchell says he recognizes how special it is to spend time with one of your favorite athletes, and has a deeper understanding sprouting from his childhood.

Growing up, Mitchell looked up to many athletes and was lucky enough to be able to interact with some of them regularly. His father worked for the New York Mets, so Mitchell had many opportunities to be around the players and always felt welcomed. “They were so great to me as a kid and that feeling was just incredible. I loved that feeling, so now that the roles are reversed, being able to give kids that same feeling means the world to me”. Mitchell credits his time being around the Mets as a large part of truly understanding what it means to a kid to be able to connect with their role models.

When asked what the biggest pieces of advice he’d want his campers to walk away with, he responded “Stay in school and be able to not put limits on yourself’’. He went on to talk about how not only in sports but in life, anything is attainable through hard work. He had been doubted at every turn of his life, and his success now is a testament to even the wildest of dreams being met. Inspiring the youth, especially those in similar situations to what he was growing up, is one of his favorite parts of being an NBA player and will always be a priority throughout his career.

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