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King for the day
Brooklyn kid Nasamuel Graham is treated royally on a memorable Sacramento trip
By Cynthia Hubert and Alison apRoberts -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, November 14, 2004
Graham's budding friendship with Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof blossomed Tuesday when the Brooklyn teen served as an honorary ball boy for Sacramento's game against the Toronto Raptors. Maloof sponsored the visit of the boy and his mother.
Their friendship began on a summer day last year while watching a street-ball tournament in Harlem.
Over cups of Gatorade, the kid from Brooklyn and the billionaire bachelor from Sacramento talked about a common interest: the Kings.
At the end of the day, Nasamuel Graham slipped his new friend, Gavin Maloof, his address and phone number. And the two promised to stay in touch.
Last week, Maloof kept his promise, flying Graham, 13, and his mother, Frances, to Sacramento for the Kings home opener.
Graham, a starting shooting guard for his junior high school team, served as an honorary ball boy. During the warm-up, he fed balls to the players. When the players took a break, he shot a few balls himself.
"I never thought I was going to be doing this," Graham said. As he was miked up for a TV interview, he added, "I feel like a superstar."
Shortly before Tuesday's game started, Maloof met courtside with the Grahams. There were hugs all around and questions about school.
"Sometimes you meet people and you feel like you've known them forever," said Maloof, 47, who runs the Kings franchise with his brother Joe. "That's how I felt about Nasamuel."
Upon meeting Graham, it's easy to see why he wins people over. Unlike many 13-year-olds, his grace and gratitude are disarming; he is appreciative of everything and articulate in expressing it. He seems to elicit kindness from everyone he encounters. During the game, an usher brought him a cushion so that he could sit higher in his seat to get a better view of the action.
Still, Graham said he never could have anticipated the invitation he received last month in a telephone call from Maloof.
First, Maloof apologized for business conflicts that prevented him from visiting New York over the summer as planned. He knew Graham was disappointed, and he was determined to make it up to him. He wanted to know if the Grahams would like to come to Tuesday's game. They would meet Mike and Peja and Chris and Bobby and all of the other Kings players.
What did Nasamuel think?
Graham, who lives in an apartment building with his mother and three older brothers, was uncharacteristically speechless. Tears burned in his eyes.
"To tell you the truth, I didn't quite believe it at first," he said. "I had been on an airplane once before, but I usually ride Amtrak. I had never even seen an NBA team play in person.
"I always watch the Kings on TV, but live? I was so excited!"
His mother was stunned.
"In my lifetime, I have never had anyone do anything like that for me," she said. "I didn't tell very many people about it. I wanted to see if it would really happen."
Her doubts vanished when the tickets and hotel reservations arrived in the mail.
"She jumped up and down, just like me," her son recalled.
Frances Graham, an elementary school aide and single parent, said Maloof has been a positive influence on an already good kid. Her son earns high marks in school, has many friends and is an active member of the family's Baptist church, attending services, performing in Christmas plays and even preaching from the pulpit once in awhile.
He loves music, especially R&B, and hopes to attend a high school that prepares students for careers in the performing arts.
As their friendship grew, Graham sent report cards and pictures to Maloof, who in turn sent small gifts, including a Kings jersey and key chain. The pair has talked on the phone, exchanged letters.
Says Maloof: "My family loves kids, and Nasamuel is a really great kid. He really touched Joe and I, and I wanted to have some kind of an impact on his life. I guess we have done that, and that makes us feel wonderful."
On Monday, mother and son arrived in Sacramento. At the airport, Graham was given a sports bag holding royal treasure, including a jersey signed by Chris Webber. Then the travelers were met by a H2 Hummer stretch limo. Inside, behind dark tinted windows, was glitz galore, from the strobe lights flashing under the curved cloth-and-leather seats to the colored lights twinkling in a neon firmament on the ceiling. There were two television sets and three bar stations stocked with soft drinks and ice.
"I have to take a picture of his," said Frances Graham, pulling out a disposable camera. "You don't imagine this will ever happen in your life."
On Tuesday before the game, the Grahams took a tour of Arco, which included a stop at the team store. Graham picked out hats, wristbands, a shirt and a leather jacket.
But it was the experience on the court that will be the enduring souvenir. Graham says he will always remember the way Webber and Mike Bibby gave him high fives.
During the game, Graham was seated right behind the team. He even pitched in to hand the players towels, warm-up shirts, hot packs for their knees, and cups of water.
When he wasn't helping out, he was a typical fan, sitting on the edge of his seat, clapping when things were going right, clasping his head in agony when something went wrong. Mostly, he was smiling and watching, hardly blinking.
"It was wonderful; we won," Graham said when asked what he thought of his first up-close-and-personal NBA game. "We really played as a team. We played good D. And Chris Webber really did good today."
After the game, the Grahams visited the players lounge. There was only one possible answer when he was asked which players he wanted to meet: "All of them."
When Bibby asked, "You have fun?" you could see the answer on the boy's face.
Webber was the last to stroll in, held up by a postgame TV interview.
"Hey, what's up, man?" he asked Graham. He joked with him that having such a devoted fan from New York means "we got insurance for the Knicks."
To pose for Frances Graham's camera, Webber draped his arm over the boy's shoulder like a favorite uncle at a family gathering.
Graham's smile, which seemed as wide as it could go, somehow managed to get even wider.
"Now, I'm ready to go," he said after meeting Webber.
The next morning, the Grahams flew back to Brooklyn, the land of the Knicks and cold weather.
But Graham was equipped with mementos and enough memories to warm a lifetime of winters. "I know," said his mother, "he'll never forget it."
----------------------------------
awww.. that was really nice.. he's so lucky to experience that! can a girl be an honorary ballboy, too?
hehe
King for the day
Brooklyn kid Nasamuel Graham is treated royally on a memorable Sacramento trip
By Cynthia Hubert and Alison apRoberts -- Bee Staff Writers
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, November 14, 2004
Graham's budding friendship with Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof blossomed Tuesday when the Brooklyn teen served as an honorary ball boy for Sacramento's game against the Toronto Raptors. Maloof sponsored the visit of the boy and his mother.
Their friendship began on a summer day last year while watching a street-ball tournament in Harlem.
Over cups of Gatorade, the kid from Brooklyn and the billionaire bachelor from Sacramento talked about a common interest: the Kings.
At the end of the day, Nasamuel Graham slipped his new friend, Gavin Maloof, his address and phone number. And the two promised to stay in touch.
Last week, Maloof kept his promise, flying Graham, 13, and his mother, Frances, to Sacramento for the Kings home opener.
Graham, a starting shooting guard for his junior high school team, served as an honorary ball boy. During the warm-up, he fed balls to the players. When the players took a break, he shot a few balls himself.
"I never thought I was going to be doing this," Graham said. As he was miked up for a TV interview, he added, "I feel like a superstar."
Shortly before Tuesday's game started, Maloof met courtside with the Grahams. There were hugs all around and questions about school.
"Sometimes you meet people and you feel like you've known them forever," said Maloof, 47, who runs the Kings franchise with his brother Joe. "That's how I felt about Nasamuel."
Upon meeting Graham, it's easy to see why he wins people over. Unlike many 13-year-olds, his grace and gratitude are disarming; he is appreciative of everything and articulate in expressing it. He seems to elicit kindness from everyone he encounters. During the game, an usher brought him a cushion so that he could sit higher in his seat to get a better view of the action.
Still, Graham said he never could have anticipated the invitation he received last month in a telephone call from Maloof.
First, Maloof apologized for business conflicts that prevented him from visiting New York over the summer as planned. He knew Graham was disappointed, and he was determined to make it up to him. He wanted to know if the Grahams would like to come to Tuesday's game. They would meet Mike and Peja and Chris and Bobby and all of the other Kings players.
What did Nasamuel think?
Graham, who lives in an apartment building with his mother and three older brothers, was uncharacteristically speechless. Tears burned in his eyes.
"To tell you the truth, I didn't quite believe it at first," he said. "I had been on an airplane once before, but I usually ride Amtrak. I had never even seen an NBA team play in person.
"I always watch the Kings on TV, but live? I was so excited!"
His mother was stunned.
"In my lifetime, I have never had anyone do anything like that for me," she said. "I didn't tell very many people about it. I wanted to see if it would really happen."
Her doubts vanished when the tickets and hotel reservations arrived in the mail.
"She jumped up and down, just like me," her son recalled.
Frances Graham, an elementary school aide and single parent, said Maloof has been a positive influence on an already good kid. Her son earns high marks in school, has many friends and is an active member of the family's Baptist church, attending services, performing in Christmas plays and even preaching from the pulpit once in awhile.
He loves music, especially R&B, and hopes to attend a high school that prepares students for careers in the performing arts.
As their friendship grew, Graham sent report cards and pictures to Maloof, who in turn sent small gifts, including a Kings jersey and key chain. The pair has talked on the phone, exchanged letters.
Says Maloof: "My family loves kids, and Nasamuel is a really great kid. He really touched Joe and I, and I wanted to have some kind of an impact on his life. I guess we have done that, and that makes us feel wonderful."
On Monday, mother and son arrived in Sacramento. At the airport, Graham was given a sports bag holding royal treasure, including a jersey signed by Chris Webber. Then the travelers were met by a H2 Hummer stretch limo. Inside, behind dark tinted windows, was glitz galore, from the strobe lights flashing under the curved cloth-and-leather seats to the colored lights twinkling in a neon firmament on the ceiling. There were two television sets and three bar stations stocked with soft drinks and ice.
"I have to take a picture of his," said Frances Graham, pulling out a disposable camera. "You don't imagine this will ever happen in your life."
On Tuesday before the game, the Grahams took a tour of Arco, which included a stop at the team store. Graham picked out hats, wristbands, a shirt and a leather jacket.
But it was the experience on the court that will be the enduring souvenir. Graham says he will always remember the way Webber and Mike Bibby gave him high fives.
During the game, Graham was seated right behind the team. He even pitched in to hand the players towels, warm-up shirts, hot packs for their knees, and cups of water.
When he wasn't helping out, he was a typical fan, sitting on the edge of his seat, clapping when things were going right, clasping his head in agony when something went wrong. Mostly, he was smiling and watching, hardly blinking.
"It was wonderful; we won," Graham said when asked what he thought of his first up-close-and-personal NBA game. "We really played as a team. We played good D. And Chris Webber really did good today."
After the game, the Grahams visited the players lounge. There was only one possible answer when he was asked which players he wanted to meet: "All of them."
When Bibby asked, "You have fun?" you could see the answer on the boy's face.
Webber was the last to stroll in, held up by a postgame TV interview.
"Hey, what's up, man?" he asked Graham. He joked with him that having such a devoted fan from New York means "we got insurance for the Knicks."
To pose for Frances Graham's camera, Webber draped his arm over the boy's shoulder like a favorite uncle at a family gathering.
Graham's smile, which seemed as wide as it could go, somehow managed to get even wider.
"Now, I'm ready to go," he said after meeting Webber.
The next morning, the Grahams flew back to Brooklyn, the land of the Knicks and cold weather.
But Graham was equipped with mementos and enough memories to warm a lifetime of winters. "I know," said his mother, "he'll never forget it."
----------------------------------
awww.. that was really nice.. he's so lucky to experience that! can a girl be an honorary ballboy, too?
hehe
