BY VINCE ELLIS | Pistons draft picks Brandon Knight and Kyle Singler are among NBA players taking part in the Play for Peace Program at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Otisfield, Maine.
The athletes conducted basketball clinics for nearly 200 campers from across the Middle East and South Asia, providing teens from regions of conflict a chance to learn the values of teamwork and cooperation.
“The reason I’m doing it is for the experience,” said Singler, a second-round pick from Duke. “I thought it would be great to get a different perspective of how things are elsewhere.”
This is the 10th year that agent Arn Tellem has organized Play for Peace, which runs for about three weeks. The players will participate through the weekend. Singler and Knight are clients of Tellem.
“As challenging times continue throughout the Middle East and South Asia, it is extremely beneficial to bring together athletes of diverse backgrounds to help teach the lessons of understanding and coexistence to these young campers,” Tellem said in a news release.
Other players included the Celtics’ Brian Scalabrine, who is making his ninth appearance, Jordan Farmar of the New Jersey Nets and DeAndre Jordan of the L.A. Clippers. Knight and Singler were joined by fellow NBA newcomer Jordan Hamilton of the Denver Nuggets.
Since 1993, Seeds of Peace has graduated nearly 5,000 teenagers from five conflict regions from its leadership program.
“It’s just a validation,” Knight said. “Although they are going through some tough times at home it shows them there are some good people out there.”
For more information on the camp, go to www.seedsofpeace.org.