It didn’t take long for Kyle Anderson to remember the first time he was interviewed after playing basketball on the courts inside North Hudson Braddock Park in his native North Bergen.
Kyle was all of 12 years old, when he was first featured in these very column pages, when he was listed as the top 12-year-old prospect in the country – and the absurdity that came with ranking seventh graders.
“I remember that well,” said Anderson, now 23 years old and just completing his third season with the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. “It’s definitely a special place. I loved being out here all the time.”
Anderson is now a professional basketball standout, 11 years removed from being a kid from North Bergen. He’s gone from leading St. Anthony to two straight undefeated seasons and one national championship to playing for UCLA for two years to the pinnacle, the league where you play for pay.
That’s why it meant so much to Anderson to come home last Saturday to the North Bergen courts he once played on. It was Anderson’s “Celebrate Life Day,” a day filled with basketball clinics and games and raffles and question and answer sessions. It marked the third straight year that Anderson has held the day in his home state, but the first in his hometown of North Bergen.
The idea for the day came when Anderson’s friend and basketball comrade Paul Kim of Cliffside Park took his own life suddenly. Anderson wanted to do something to remember and honor Kim and to aid the cause of suicide prevention.
So hundreds of youngsters of all ages converged on Braddock Park last weekend to get a glimpse of a hometown boy done good.
“Seeing these local kids out here and playing, perhaps following in my footsteps, means a lot to me,” said Anderson, who helped the clinics run smoothly with the assistance of his father, also named Kyle Anderson, who was a long-time basketball coach and once led Ferris to a Hudson County championship when “Lil’ Kyle” was just a toddler.
“I’m excited to have it here,” Anderson said of his North Bergen roots. “Growing up in this neighborhood, we never had anything like this. So I’m glad to be in the position to do something like this.”
Anderson was amazed at the turnout.
“I credit my older brothers and friends for getting the word out on Facebook and social media,” Anderson said. “They were the ones to get it done.”
After learning a ton of skills from the elder Anderson and his crack staff of coaches that included local coaches like Kevin Bianco of North Bergen and Alex Mirabel of St. Peter’s Prep, Anderson brought the youngsters together at center court to answer any questions they might have of their hero.
“What’s it like in the NBA?” was the first question.
“It’s pretty cool,” Anderson laughed.
“What happens when someone talks trash to you?” was another.
“I have to respect the game that I’m playing at all times,” Anderson said. “Most of the time, I walk away and let things take care of itself.”
“How did you react when St. Anthony closed?” was a great question.
“I was sad,” Anderson said. “It was hard. I couldn’t believe it happened. Now I don’t have a place to come home to get my number retired. I don’t have a high school.”
Anderson already had to endure one of his school’s closing. It was the demise of Paterson Catholic a little less than a decade ago that brought Anderson to St. Anthony for his junior year.
“I was super upset,” Anderson said. “I knew what it was like already to close a school.”
“Where do you want to play next?” was another great question. Anderson’s contract is up after next year and he can become a free agent.
“Where do you want me to play? Do you want me to come here? The Knicks?” Anderson replied, drawing a loud cheer.
“How many hours a day did you play?” was the question that brought out Anderson’s longest and most thought out reply.
“I played every single day,” Anderson said. “I spent seven, eight hours a day playing right here on these courts. My Dad was a high school coach, so I went to the gym with him and his team. There wasn’t a day where I wasn’t playing. Christmas, my birthday, whenever. I never took a day off. It was a lot of practice and a lot of hours.”
“Do you live in a mansion?” was the last question that just drew a wide smile on the face of the guy nicknamed “Slo Mo,” because Anderson always looks like he’s moving in slow motion.
Needless to say, Anderson made a positive impression on the youngsters who attended the clinic.
“I learned how to have mental toughness,” said 9-year-old Eddie Ortiz. “I was excited to come here. I knew who Kyle was and I’ve watched him play on television. It made me feel good to be a part of this.”
Ortiz, whose family is originally from Union City, but now resides in Scranton, Pa., came with his father, also named Eddie, to participate in the day.
“It encourages me to play basketball more,” young Eddie said.
Jennie Carmona is a 9-year-old girl whose uncle is a friend of Anderson.
“I love basketball and love getting the chance to be here,” Carmona said.
Carmona said that she learned how to slide her feet while moving on the court.
“It was a lot of fun,” Carmona said. “It was pretty cool to learn from an NBA player.”
Gia Quintero is an 11-year-old girl from nearby Fairview.
“I have a lot of friends here, so I wanted to come,” Quintero said. “I was very excited to be here.”
Quintero said that she learned to keep her guide hand (her left hand) and shoot more with her power hand (her right).
Jordani Varela is an 11-year-old from Union City and a student at Emerson Middle School.
“I learned how to bring the ball up the right way,” Varela said. “I’m a big fan of Kyle’s and I was excited to get the chance to meet him. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Christian Chavis is a 12-year-old who now lives in Maryland.
“I learned how to follow through on my shot,” Chavis said.
Luke Baldwin is 11 years old and from Cliffside Park. He attended the clinic last year and wanted to come this year as well.
“I learned how to cross over with the dribble,” Baldwin said. “I also learned that if someone wants to talk trash, just walk away like Kyle does.”
Obviously, a message was heard.
“It’s always cool to come back home, even if it’s only for a little while,” said Anderson, who enlisted the services of both parents and his brothers and sisters to help run the clinic. “I definitely want to keep it going.”
Anderson received a ton of assistance from the North Bergen Police Department, who volunteered their services to help with crowd control and also played in a charity game later in the day. There was a tournament for high school age kids and which team won? None other than North Bergen. Needless to say, it was a great day all around and great to see a local kid giving back to the community where he grew up. It’s amazing how fast 11 years goes by.
To read the article written about Kyle when he was just 12 years old, click this link: http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2409362/article.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com. You can also read Jim’s blog at www.jimhaguesports.blogspot.com.
