Some 80 young basketball players spent Monday afternoon at the Ross School in Bridgehampton drilling their footwork, practicing dribbling and ball-handling skills, shooting hoops, and simulating offensive and defensive tactics under the expert eye of a celebrity coach: John Wallace, a former Knicks player visiting for a junior basketball clinic.
“It’s hot in here,” Wallace said, “but the only ones complaining are the adults. The kids are running around with huge smiles on their faces. It’s great.” Dressed fully in Knicks gear, he said he loves the opportunity to work with young people who share his passion for the game. “I’m a big kid myself, so I love interacting with all the great kids,” Wallace said. “When I was younger, I was at an N.B.A.-influenced camp, and that played a huge role in my career. It’s my duty to pay that coaching forward.”
He was joined by other coaches in providing detailed and tailored instructions to every child on the court.
William Singleton, a coach at the Ross School, said the clinic was free of charge to the students and was a great way to showcase local kids. “We are really working on the fundamentals of basketball and the fundamentals of life,” he said.
Wallace said the clinic was a great way to represent the Knicks and the Madison Square Garden family within the community. He also offered advice to young people starting out in basketball, or any sport: Keep working. “It is not going to happen overnight,” he said. “You have to pour everything you have into it. For basketball, you don’t even need a ball to train. Go on a run, or go jump rope. The most important thing for an athlete is to keep in shape.”