Domantas Sabonis holds youth camp, talks DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk

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A nervous energy filled Hardwood Palace in Rocklin, CA on Sunday afternoon. Young basketball campers were anxiously awaiting the arrival of a giant and they weren’t disappointed. 

Sacramento Kings’ center Domantas Sabonis walked into the gym and all eyes shifted to the Kings’ 6-foot-10 big man. This marked the first time Sabonis has put together a camp like this and you could see he was initially out of his element.

When the basketballs started bouncing and the kids started flowing around him in organized chaos, he settled in and found his footing.

“It’s really cool, this is actually my first one, I’ve never had a chance to fit one in with my summer and a lot of things going on,” Sabonis said. “I really wanted to do one here and it’s been awesome so far.”

Sabonis worked the room, moving from one court to another to make sure that everyone got a chance to meet him. Parents snapped photos and took video from the sidelines as Sabonis helped give instruction.

At one point, a young camper couldn’t quite get their shot to the rim and you could see Sabonis showing patience and encouraging her to keep trying. When that didn’t work, the Kings’ star center called for the ball and the camper was able to hit him with a pass for an open dunk. 

As the son of a former NBA player, Sabonis had opportunities to attend camps like this when he was young and the moment didn’t seem lost on him. He was impressed with the knowledge of the campers, many who knew everything about him … including one or two from his neighborhood who knew exactly where he lived. 

“When I was a kid I was in their shoes at these camps and I know how it changed my life and I want to give back,” Sabonis said. 

This is the life of an NBA player. It’s good to see Sabonis find his home in the league and start to put down roots. Judging by his reaction to the camp, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this become an annual event.

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