–ramone mack
Why is it important for you to be a part of this event and how does your presence here benefit the children?
Maurice Evans: It’s important for me to be at this event because having somebody who is in the NBA come out and support them shows that we really care. We really do appreciate the kids’ support and I do really want to encourage them.
What advice did you give to the youngsters at this event?
Maurice Evans: I spoke to the kids and I told them the number one thing for me as a person is that you have to be confident and believe in yourself. I also told them there are a lot of people who tell us all the things we can’t do and what we can’t accomplish. So it’s very important for them to understand that there is nothing that [they] can’t accomplish if [they] put [their] mind[s] to it.
Why was it important for Converse to sponsor this event for the children of Atlanta?
David Mintz: Converse Open Gym is a free basketball program for kids of all skill levels. The reason we created Open Gym is because we wanted to give the kids a place to play ball. A lot of these kids are underprivileged and they don’t have the resources or a place to go to play basketball. At Open Gym, we rent out venues so that kids can have a safe and clean place to come play basketball. We start with saying ‘thank you’ to the Atlanta basketball community for giving them a safe place to play basketball.
Why is Maurice Evans the perfect NBA player to be a part of this event?
David Mintz: Maurice Evans has been with Converse for a while now. For us, he epitomizes what a Converse NBA athlete is. Not only is he a great basketball player on the court, but he is also a great person off the court. He’s involved the Atlanta community, he has great charitable organizations that he is involved with, and we’re proud to have Maurice Evans as a part of the Converse basketball team.
