Daily Sports Digest: Former Knicks Player Celebrates the Holiday

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John Starks is nothing short of a legend in the eyes of New York sports fans. He played eight years for the Knicks, and he never gave the team anything less than his all. If the Knicks needed a big defensive stop, a loose ball or a big shot, the odds were that Starks would be the one to come up clutch for the orange and blue.

Now, Starks is nearly a decade removed from the NBA and still coming up clutch for New York. But this time, it isn’t on the court -- it's in the hearts and minds of young children.

Yesterday, the John Starks Foundation teamed up with the Manhattanville College Sport Business Management Program at the college’s Kennedy Gymnasium to give dozens of young kids a little joy this holiday season. The featured students, who were from Westhab and the New York Junior Tennis League, were invited to participate in the event due to their commitment to academics and community service. Starks and company hope that events like this will encourage them to keep up the good work.

“Jennifer Alpert, the director of my foundation, teaches a course up here. She gave her students a project, they created an event and they did a beautiful job,” Starks said. “It’s something kids can really enjoy. It brightens up their holidays.”

Starks and his close personal friend Santa Clause sat down to sign autographs and take pictures with the young children. Smiles were plentiful as child after child stood next to the Knicks legend and were taken onto the court for a quick demonstration. 

“I think being a part of a team teaches you about working together and motivation -- what it takes to reach a goal.” Starks said. 

At 46, Starks and his foundation continue to give back by providing high school students with scholarships. Throughout the year, the foundation hosts a plethora of events, including a golf tournament and a casino night all in an effort to raise funds and give kids a better life.

“It’s something that I wanted to do to give back to high school students," Starks said. “I wanted to provide kids with an opportunity that I didn’t have coming out of school. Scholarships were the best option because a lot of these kids don’t know where to look and don’t know where to find money. And personally, it gives me a chance to really help kids jump start their career.”

The 1994 All-Star did take some time out to discuss the current Knicks team. While Starks said he likes the off-season, he did offer this piece of cautionary advice to the players about to embark on the 66-game abbreviated season.

“Get your rest," Starks said. “Get your rest, because it is going to be taxing on your body. It probably took a year off my career, if not more. You play game after game, and you really don’t have time for practice anymore. So you play the game, then you rest. Then, you go back and play the game.”

Starks has been a head coach for USBL’s Westchester Wildfire. But as of right now, he says that he hasn’t thought about returning back to the bench anytime soon -- he's too busy enjoying his free time and helping young kids reach their goals.

Yesterday’s Results:        

Sport: Boy’s Swimming

Game: Scarsdale vs. White Plains

Score: Scarsdale Won 101.5-79.5  

Today’s Schedule:

In Boy’s Basketball, Scarsdale heads to Brewster at 6:15 p.m.

In Boy’s Basketball, Alexander Hamilton heads to Edgemont at 5 p.m.

In Girl’s Basketball, Hastings heads to Edgemont at 7 p.m.