Mon, Aug 3rd 2009, 13:53
New Orleans will forever be in the heart of Charlotte Bobcats guard D.J. Augustin.
When Augustin and his family relocated to Houston after Hurricane Katrina, he was heartbroken about having to leave the Crescent City and miss his senior year at Brother Martin.
For the past few years, Augustin said he has hoped to do something to give back to his old hometown, and this week he has that chance.
Augustin will host the first D.J. Augustin Basketball Camp for children ages 8 to 15 at Brother Martin today through Thursday. Augustin also will have a point guard camp for some of the country’s top-rated point guard prospects from Thursday to Saturday at Xavier.
“This (New Orleans) is where I grew up and where I learned everything I know,” he said.
The camp is free, and Augustin wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I know times are tough not only for people coming back from Katrina, but for people, period,” he said.
The campers will be running a lot of the drills that Augustin ran when he went to basketball camps as a child, and participants will receive lunch, T-shirts and daily prizes, along with chances for autographs.
Point guards participating in Augustin’s camp at Xavier include Eric Atkins, Dai-Jon Parker, Rodney Hood, Deville Smith and St. Augustine’s Javon Felix.