A Queens basketball coach was awarded Junior Knicks Coach of the Year this past Thursday. New York Knicks legend Allan Houston called Jason Curry, the youth basketball coach who grew up in Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park, to deliver the good news. Curry founded the nonprofit organization Big Apple Basketball in 1999, which hosts basketball training and events, offers scholarships, and conducts clinics to train and mentor student athletes who may not be able to afford these programs.
Curry received a $5,000 grant and will advance to the next stage of hte competition to compete for Junior NBA Coach of the Year. He will be honored on the court at the Knicks vs Sacramento Kings game this Saturday, March 9.
A social media vote with input from the New York Knicks and the Hospital for Special Surgery, the contest’s sponsor, determined Curry as the winner.
“I’ve been blessed to have an amazing support system of friends and volunteers who have helped me live my vision and mission of Big Apple Basketball,” Curry said in a statement. “There are so many great coaches and mentors in the New York City area who go unnoticed, that it’s a privilege to even be recognized in this capacity.”
Image: Jason Curry, bottom right.
Courtesy Jason Curry.
