Wayne County Youth Meet Local Hero Desmond Bane

Wayne County youth had the opportunity of a lifetime when they met local hero Desmond Bane, a player for the Memphis Grizzlies, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event brought together around 90 kids from Richmond-area nonprofits to watch their favorite basketball player in action.

Among them were 14-year-olds Bryson and Xavion, who are big fans of Bane's playing style. "All these NBA players are just very explosive and can get to the rack on anybody," Xavion said.

Others, like 10- and 12-year-olds Zai and Bailey, were excited to see professional basketball up close. Both play basketball themselves and appreciate watching the pros in action. "I get really excited about what the basketball players do and watch their moves and use them in games," Zai said.

Many of the children participating come from lower-income or underprivileged backgrounds, and some had never been to a Pacers game before. Richmond Lake with Allstate Insurance noted that this experience is especially meaningful for these kids. "Most of these kids have never been out of Richmond, Indiana. They were on a charter bus to the Fieldhouse, Desmond Bane was right beside them. That's why we do it," he said.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County CEO Alicia Painter emphasized the impact that opportunities like this can have on her kids. "That's what we've been able to do over the last four years with this experience. We give these kids this opportunity to see Desmond, to see the Pacers and how hard work and discipline leads to a successful career doing what you love and with that comes so much hope for our young people," she said.