It was a sold-out night at the annual John Starks Foundation Celebrity Casino and Cigar Night. Held at the Midtown Loft and Terrace on Fifth Avenue in New York City, the event featured everything from a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament to musical entertainment to amazing food stations. Over $80K was generated through the generosity of corporate and individual sponsors."
The event also commemorated the 25th anniversary of Starks’ dunk over Michael Jordan and Horace Grant in the 1993 NBA Playoffs.
New York Knicks legend John Starks started The John Starks Foundation in 1994 to help high school seniors get money to go to college, after struggling to do so himself (it might be hard to believe, but Starks was not recruited out of his Tulsa, Oklahoma high school). To date, over 300 monetary grants have been awarded to NY, CT, NJ and Tulsa, OK college bound high school students who demonstrate academic achievement, a commitment to community service and financial need. The Casino and Cigar Night is one of three annual events the foundation holds, along with a bowling night and a golf outing.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“It’s just a fun night, you know what I mean,” said John Starks. “I always say I want my events to be laid back; people come out and have fun and just enjoy themselves. You know, coming out of work and having a very stressful day, worked all day, but then come here and let your hair down and just have fun.”
"As a small non-profit, we rely heavily on the generosity of individual and corporate sponsors to sustain our 3 Point Scholarship program. We have truly been blessed to have such amazing support", states Executive Director, Jennifer Alpert.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
There was a large contingent of Starks’ former teammates and other Knicks among the attendees, including Anthony Bonner, Herb Williams, Latrell Sprewell, and Allan Houston. Among the other star athletes in attendance were Giants Super Bowl XXV MVP OJ Anderson, former Yankee Jim Leyritz, NBC Today Show contributor Jill Martin, Real Housewives of NY Cindy Barshop, and former New York Jet Ray Lucas.
“It means a lot. It means that they care about what we’re trying to do with the foundation,” said Starks of the great turnout. “To see a lot of the same faces, year after year, saying a lot about what we doing and what we’re trying to accomplish and that they appreciate everything we’re putting into the foundation.”
Former teammate Anthony Bonner played with Starks for two seasons, and considers him not just a friend but a brother.
“It’s always good to come out and reconnect and you know, again, support people that are involved in worthy causes,” said Bonner. “And there’s no greater cause outside of helping someone find their purpose and helping someone get an education.”
There was also a very touching moment during the event, when the duo of Adam E. and Mickey Rosen performed a song about Starks’s career entitled “Sparks Fly,” written by former Knicks public relations director and current owner of sports PR firm Cirillo World, John Cirillo. Cirillo described his time with Starks, and his postseason heroics, as watching “your friend become your hero.”
The final verse of the song underlines just how important he is to New York off the court as he was on it: “The Starks Foundation/cements his legacy/Helping great young kids/Earn their college degrees.”
The duo will be recording the song as part of Cirillo's new music venture, Back From the Dead, LLC, and part of the proceeds will go to The John Starks Foundation.
The song moved Starks’s daughter, Chelsea Starks, who also serves as a volunteer with the foundation.
“It made me emotional, it really did,” she said. “Just the thought that goes into it and watching his face light up as they’re singing and the words, how real they were, aw man it just made me feel good that people cherish him and appreciate him and admire him in the way that they do.”
Also featured was a sprawling raffle, including such items as signed memorabilia from Starks himself and other New York athletes like Derek Jeter, Patrick Ewing, and Kristaps Porzingis, to watches and reservations at exclusive restaurants.
The next John Stark Foundation event will be the 23rd Annual John Starks Celebrity Golf Classic on September 11. More information on how to attend the event is available on johnstarks.org.
