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National Basketball Association (NBA) star Tari Eason, of the Houston Rockets, has expressed his excitement about the future after the second JamRockerz Basketball Classic. Held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the tournament doubled its participation this year, growing from 65 to 130 student athletes.
“This is the smallest it is ever going to be,” said Eason, who plans to make the event an annual one. “Right now, it is only going to get bigger. This is going to be every year.”
The four-day tournament, which took place from August 8-11 at Montego Bay Community College, featured 12 teams, up from six last year. This included eight local youth under-16 teams and four senior platinum teams, two of which were international.
This year, Eason was the title sponsor, donating T-shirts, string bags, balls, and trophies to all the participants. Looking ahead, he hopes to expand the event even further. “Hopefully, I’ll put some walls in this thing. We are trying to get an indoor court, I am trying to do it real big,” he said.
The 24-year-old Eason, who played college basketball for the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Louisiana State University Tigers and was drafted 17th overall in 2022, also plans to bring more NBA players to the classic.
“Next year, I guarantee another NBA player is coming,” he stated, mentioning that his former teammate Cam Whitmore, who now plays for the Washington Wizards, attended last year.
Also in attendance this year were Jamaicans Samardo Samuels, a former NBA Cleveland Cavaliers player, and Adrian Forbes, who recently played for Llaneros in Venezuela.
Eason expressed his strong love for Jamaica.
“The energy is infectious. Man, I love Jamaica,” declared Eason. “I fell in love with this unbelievable island and people. We have a lot of great guys here and good energy, so I am just excited to see how it plays out.,” he added.
For many participants, the experience was about more than just basketball. D’aire Patterson, a 19-year-old from P.H.A.S.E 1, said playing against international teams was a great learning experience. He also praised Eason for his humility.
“I think more giving back needs to be happening in the country,” Patterson said. “There are a lot of Jamaican players in the NBA but they don’t give to the country. Tari is not Jamaican, but he chooses to give back, and that shows a lot.”
Dave Black, the director of P.H.A.S.E 1 Academy, echoed that sentiment, highlighting the positive impact Eason’s presence had on the young players. “He is not only giving back to the community but showing his presence and interacting with the youths,” Black said. “They got a chance to see an NBA player work out, and that in itself is good for the community.”
In the finals, Washington DC-based Team Takeover, the defending champions, defeated P.H.A.S.E 1 Kingston 75-63 to retain their title.
English (US) ·