LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Dozens of kids from underserved communities got the chance to shoot some hoops and learn from some Louisville basketball stars at the KFC Yum! Center basketball camp.

What You Need To Know

  • KFC Yum! Center and Norton Sports Health sponsored a free basketball camp 

  • Children from underserved Louisville communities attended

  • The were taught basketball fundamentals

  • Former UofL basketball star Luke Whitehead and current Cardinal Mackenly Rudolph were camp counselors and coaches

Jeremiah, 15, gave it all he had. He’s a sophomore at PRP High School and this was his first time at basketball camp.

“Aye, everybody’s bonding together, you know? It’s fun!” he said.

Over in the arena, under the jumbotron screen, students warmed up and stretched. It was Newburg Middle School 7th grader, Garland’s, first time at camp. He learned basketball fundamentals and how to stretch.

An important skill he said, “Because if you don’t stretch, and you just go out there and play, you could cramp up, you can get injured really bad.”

KFC Yum! Center Partnership Service Coordinator, Dustin Watts, said the basketball camp is a community initiative, going back approximately five years. One hundred kids from underserved Louisville communities were at the free one-day camp.  

Watts said, “Getting some kids out here that don’t get to experience the Yum! Center as much as some others and also just being able to play around, get some physical activity and enjoy basketball. It’s the lifeblood of the city and the state.”

Former University of Louisville basketball star Luke Whitehead is a camp director and coach. Whitehead played for the Cards from 2000 to 2004. He is now the CEO and founder of Mixed Nation Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating diversity and inspiring unity.

Whitehead said, “To be able to join up with some current and also former UofL players, to give back to the kids, is just really an exciting thing to be a part of.”

The kids learned to shoot, pass, ball handling, defense, teamwork and more.

Current Cardinal Mackenly Randolph was also a camp coach. She’s heading into her sophomore season on coach Jeff Walz’s team.

“Honestly, I just hope to impact them a little bit. I know I’ve been to a few camps and I’ve seen a lot of coaches and I’ve met a lot of basketball players that left a mark on me as I’m going through this journey so hopefully I leave a little mark on these kids today,” she said.

Nine-year-old Brodee said he wants to come back. He said, “…that I get to play basketball and have fun with other people.”

Watts said they are already planning for next year’s basketball camp.

The KFC Yum! Center’s basketball camp was presented by Norton Sports Health.

Related Stories