The Oklahoma City Thunder have a program called Thunder Cares that gives back to various charitable causes not only in-season but all year round as well. Kevin Durant, Kendrick Perkins and Eric Maynor took part in the most recent outing with a Thunder Fit Clinic at Seeworth Academy, a charter school that works with at-risk youth.
"I think it’s always a plus to give back," Perkins said. "A lot of us that are in the NBA I know, including myself, grew up in situations where I didn’t have NBA players to come to my school or whatever it may be and just teach the importance of fitness. Just being here sometimes brings a smile on their faces. I think it’s always a plus that we can come back and it always feels great on the inside."
"I think the most important thing is telling them they can do anything in life," Durant said. "It doesn’t have to be basketball. Perk said a great thing, that you have to come out with an open mind. Kids, of course, think they know everything. It’s just great to come out here and show them the type of guys we are every single day."
The players played with the kids and spoke about the power they had to reach their dreams. They also spoke on nutrition and the need to be healthy.
"I just can’t imagine what it means to most of these kids," Lee Anne Wilson said. "Most of these kids, they would not be in any school today if it wasn’t for Seeworth. The kids that we graduate every year never would graduate if, in fact, they didn’t go to school here… Most of these kids, I don’t think they’d have that basic information if it wasn’t for Seeworth and people like Kevin Durant coming from the community to give them that kind of information."