This NBA Player Flew to the Philippines to Inaugurate a Basketball Court in Bulacan

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones was in town this week for a basketball court dedication and youth basketball clinic held on Monday, August 22, at the Enchanted Farm village of Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc. (GK) in Angat, Bulacan. 

GK is a local non-profit organization working to alleviate poverty through affordable housing and community development programs for 22 years now. Meanwhile, the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team member welcomed the opportunity to give back after a year that’s been steeped with blessings.

GK Chairman Luis Oquinena, Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans and NBA Asia Head of Basketball Operations Carlos Barroca

Photo by NBA.

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“I did not necessarily grow up in the same environment but somewhat similar, Jones shared. “I grew up in a rural area. Not a lot of city at all. We just had to make do with what we could. I went to school to maximize my opportunity to play basketball to get my degree for free and I just continued to work hard on and off the court. I finished my degree early and thankfully I got drafted.”

After an impressive first season, Jones helped the Pelicans make it to the Playoffs and the 23-year-old from Alabama was selected for the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team. 

Herb Jones and his mom

Photo by NBA.

“Year one was super fun,” he said. “Coming into the year, I don’t think a lot of people expected the Pelicans to do what we did,” he says. “It was super fun to just get to work with those guys in New Orleans and figure things out. Once things got rough, it showed a lot about New Orleans culture, just responding to adversity. In the years to come, we just want to keep improving, just trying to be better each day.”

In July 2017, the NBA refurbished an indoor court in Sta. Mesa, Manila as part of a regional NBA Cares initiative to rehabilitate basketball courts all across Southeast Asia. This time around, NBA Cares headed north to visit the thriving GK community that calls Barangay Encanto in Angat, Bulacan home.

“We have a long history with the NBA,” said GK Chairman Jose Luis Oquinena. “The late Kobe Bryant also visited our community in Taguig and once there were also about 12 NBA legends that included Dominique Wilkins and Vlade Divac who visited our village to paint houses. But this is the first time that they actually built a court and we’re so honored and proud to give them a home in one of our GK communities.

Jr. NBA's Camille Nolasco taking part in the NBA Cares clinic

Photo by NBA.

“More than the court, it’s really the message of hope it brings to the young ones,” he added

Aside from leading the inauguration of the new basketball court donated by the NBA, Jones also helped facilitate an NBA Cares clinic for more than 20 boys and girls from GK and Jr. NBA Philippines. The Jr. NBA program in the Philippines, which teaches the fundamentals and values of basketball, has reached more than two million youth, parents and coaches in almost 200 cities and municipalities across the country since it first began in 2017. Jr. NBA coaches led by NBA Asia Head of Basketball Operations Carlos Barroca kept the kids on their toes with fun and engaging drills and exercises. 

“The kids have amazing talent,” Barroca said. “All the countries in the world are going through the struggle of the moment that for almost three years, these kids did not have a chance to compete and didn’t have a chance to play basketball in a regular way, but I have no doubt that basketball is in the genes of the country.

“I always say short or tall, basketball is a game for all. Everybody can play the game. Not everyone is going to make it to the NBA but everyone can learn a lot of lessons playing the game. How to play with a team, how to overcome stressful times, how to be able to communicate. So many lessons you can learn on the basketball court. That’s our role. Inspire kids to play the game.”

Jones and his mother traveled to the Enchanted Farm village of Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation in Angat, Bulacan

Photo by NBA.

Apart from the morning’s basketball festivities, everyone also participated in an agricultural activity to learn more about the importance of sustainable farming, something that the GK Enchanted Farm community in Angat champions.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the NBA is on track to build and dedicate more than 100 new Live, Learn or Play Centers all over the world through its NBA Cares program. As the league’s global social responsibility program, NBA Cares builds on the league’s mission of addressing important social issues not just in the U.S. but also around the world. NBA Cares has created more than 360 venues for kids and families to live, learn, or play in 40 countries and territories all over the globe.

“My stay so far has been amazing,” Jones said about his first time in the Philippines. “The people, the culture, it’s just full of love and the energy around basketball is amazing. It’s an honor to come out and have an impact on kids and hopefully I can come out and do something like this again.”