On Sunday, July 18th, NBA player Enes Kanter led a basketball clinic for children ages 8 to 18 from three Philadelphia congregations; Masjidullah Inc, Rodeph Shalom synagogue, the Perfecting Church, and facility host City Athletics. The afternoon was filled with basic basketball drills, team building, and skill enhancement.
Over 100 future basketball stars were able to join us for the clinic from around the Philadelphia area. One of Peace Islands PA’s core beliefs is the importance of interfaith relations, and this clinic proved to be a great way to build bridges of all faiths in Philadelphia with the next generation at the forefront. Enes Kanter himself has been an incredible advocate for social justice during his tenure as an NBA player. He has participated in our annual Ramadan events which provide resources and education to all faiths during the Holy Month. Kanter has been traveling throughout the United States hosting free basketball clinics to give back to the community. This is his second summer doing so and would have been the third if the pandemic had allowed it in 2020.
The clinic, though hot, was filled with smiles and great laughs. We thank all our future basketball stars who were able to join us for the afternoon to get hands-on experience with Kanter, who gave serious feedback with a big smile.
We look forward to hosting Kanter back on the court in Philadelphia next summer, and thank him for choosing Philadelphia as a stop on his cross-country journey!