NBA veteran helps develop youth sports in Boston

In an effort to strengthen youth sports opportunities, former NBA Rookie of the Year and Massachusetts resident Michael Carter-Williams was the keynote speaker Thursday during the final session of a four-week wellness course for some local high school students.

Through the city’s Let’s Play Boston initiative, Carter-Williams is partnering with the Boston Public Schools and his organization, NDUR for Athletes, to offer mental health and mindfulness workshops to the players of two BPS basketball teams, English High School and Charlestown High. School. In addition to the course, he also donated twenty air purifiers to the Boston Public Health Commission.

“As a city, we can’t do anything alone,” Tyrik Wilson, Youth Sports Initiative Manager for the City of Boston, said in an interview. “The only way we can bring about change in the city is by gaining the respect of these programs that have done great work.”

Carter-Williams said he wants to prioritize communities and schools where he can create authentic relationships with students. His stepfather played basketball at Charlestown High, and he has known English High’s basketball coach since elementary school.

“I wanted to go to the heart of the city,” he said in an interview. “I want to be a role model for the children in the city.”

The series began in October, holding weekly virtual meetups that sparked conversations about emotional health, nutrition, financial literacy, mental health and mental control while exercising.

Boston has continued to contribute programs and resources to increase youth sports involvement.

In May, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the launch of Boston’s first Youth Sports Hub, an online directory where families can find nearby sports leagues and programs for children in elementary through high school.

According to Boston’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 34 percent of high school students were involved in at least one sports team in 2021 — a 10 percent decrease from 2019.

“I know the potential that the city of Boston has and I try to maximize that,” Carter-Williams said.

Wilson and Carter-Williams said they want to make Boston a place where student athletes and potential professional athletes can develop, while providing youth services to guide their education and development outside of sports.

“This program is a call to action to all boys who choose to find their own way to give back,” Wilson said. “Community pride and tradition is something we definitely want to rejuvenate in the city.”

Auzzy Byrdsell can be reached at [email protected].