LONGUEUIL, Que. – Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers is coming full circle and giving it away at Basketball Sans Frontières des Amériques in Longueuil.
The Montrealer was in the world section of the event only three years ago.
Mathurin was the first Canadian to join the NBA Academy in Latin America, Mexico.
At Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, he is one of the instructors along with two other Quebecers in the NBA, Chris Boucher of the Raptors and Luguentz Dort of the Thunder.
At this 12 BSF camp in the Americas, the other coaches are assistants in the NBA: Eric Khoury (Raptors), Rodney Billups (Blazers), Joe Boylan (Timberwolves), Quinton Crawford (Mavericks), Bruce Fraser (Warriors) and Jay Hernandez (Net).
Listening and in action are some sixty young people born in 2006, among the best players in Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The camp started on Thursday and ends on Sunday.
“For sure, reaching the NBA was one of my biggest goals,” said Mathurin. Now I’m in it, so I’m trying to give back. It’s a bit of a throwback. Seeing these young people reminds me of myself when I was at a camp like that. »
Earlier this month, the athlete from Montreal North took part in the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, sharing his knowledge with young hopefuls there too.
The six-foot-five, 210-pound player played his first NBA season in 2022-23, after being drafted 6th overall.
Mathurin averaged 16.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 78 games.
Indiana made some noise before slowing down and missing the playoffs.
The Quebecer said he quickly felt in his place in the Silver circuit.
“Honestly, I got comfortable pretty early on, right from training camp and the Summer League,” said Mathurin.
“As soon as I was able to be 5 against 5 with my teammates, it was pleasant. It was really ‘fun’. »
Beyond the difficult passages, he believes that the Pacers have a bright future
“I’m constantly trying to learn and I like adversity,” said Mathurin, who turned 21 on Monday. When it’s hard, it allows me to grow. I want to accomplish several things. I want to win a championship. I want to be a star player. »
In his case, self-confidence is definitely a driving force. This is partly what he wants to teach Basketball Without Borders.
“Every young person is different and confidence, some have more than others,” said Mathurin. It’s mostly a matter of putting together what it takes: hard work, talent and confidence. These are the three main ingredients for success. »
2023-06-26 05:54:01
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