Learning Literacy Through Basketball Heroes
by Tom Kertes

“I was an only child growing up at home,” Knicks center Slavko Vranes said. “But I love children. Frankly, I like to be around kids more than I like to be around adults.”

Perhaps that was the reason why the 7’6” rookie (maybe he was he the only child they had room for at home in Podgorica, Montenegro) was having the time of his life at the NBA Reading Rally at P.S. 8 in Washington Heights. Over 30 NBA rookies (and a few second-year players) thrilled the school’s third and fourth-graders by participating in a raucous school assembly—and, later, reading the wonderful children’s book Strong To the Hoop to the students in individual classes—as part of the league’s annual Rookie Transition Program. “Any time the NBA wants me to do something like this, all they need to do is call,” Vranes said with a wide smile. Principal Carol Rubin told the students how fortunate they were to be visited by “all these wonderful NBA players. They could have chosen any of 1200 other schools,” she said. “But they chose us. They chose you,” she said to the students of P.S. 8 where the 150 children oooh-ed and aaah-ed as the tall rookies began to fill the stage. Top pick LeBron James got an especially awed reception. “I guess, even at this early age, these kids can tell who’s a superstar when they see one,” Master of Ceremonies Bob Lanier quipped.

“Why are we here?” Lanier asked the kids. “Basketball!” the little voices shouted. “No, reading!!” Big Bob chuckled. “We’re here because of reading.”

At Lanier’s prodding, the Grizzlies’ Dahntay Jones admitted his favorite book in fourth grade was Green Eggs and Ham. Do super talents stick together? Well, maybe: the Heat’s’ spectacular Dwayne Wade is currently reading Playing For Keeps by Michael Jordan. Milwaukee’s T. J. Ford, all 5’11” of him, told the kids “You don’t have to be tall to be good at something. Reading exercises your brain and helps you develop intellectual skills.” Next, Lanier asked Lebron “At this age, you were not thinking of being in the NBA, right?” “Wrong,” James nodded his head emphatically to much general hilarity. “Actually, I was. But, kids, you don’t have to be ballplayers to be successful. You can all be great at something. You can be teachers, doctors, nurses, or lawyers. If you study, read, and listen to your teachers, you can be anything you want to be.”

James, along with 7-foot Knicks rookie Maciej Lampe and the Spurs’ world champion guard Manu Ginobili, then retired to Washington Hernandez’ well-appointed fourth-grade classroom to read Strong To The Hoop. The book, about a little boy, James, who gets into a playground basketball game against older kids and succeeds due to his skills and courage, was a huge hit among the students. Of course, it helped enormously that LeBron, Maciej, and Manu all held such obvious affinity for the children.

At one point, in order to encourage the little ones to actively participate, Ginobili said, “You know, I’m from Argentina, so I need help with my reading.” One little girl with a pair of big pigtails happily complied. “I’m from Poland, so I also need help with my reading.” Lampe followed suit. “Well, I’m from Cleveland, so you know I need help with my reading,” quipped LeBron.

The NBA trio ended the reading by signing autographs and handing out innumerable low-fives.#

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