Queens BP Donovan Richards, MSG and Knicks legend John Starks kick off back-to-school with basketball clinic and backpack giveaway – QNS

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, along with MSG Sports, MSG Entertainment and New York Knicks legend John Starks, hosted a back-to-school event in St. Albans on Saturday, Aug. 31.

The event, held at Roy Wilkins Park, featured a Jr. Knicks Clinic and provided school supplies and hundreds of Knicks-themed backpacks to local students eager to start the school year.

Starks led the Jr. Knicks clinic and helped teach local kids basketball skills and drills.

The Queens-based event is part of a broader, annual back-to-school initiative for students across the city, headed by MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment. The annual donation kit program included 7,500 backpacks and 15,000 notebooks and pencil cases that were sent to over 50 elected officials throughout the five boroughs to distribute to students in their areas in need of essential school supplies. 

MSG and NYC Parks have previously teamed up to host free city-wide Jr. Knicks clinics and leagues for kids and teens ages 6-17. The instructional clinics were stationed in each borough and provided youth with an opportunity to play basketball, regardless of their experience. Following the clinics, youngsters joined boroughwide leagues. The leagues use the game of basketball to unite the city’s youth and promote a positive structured environment for personal growth and community development.

Last season’s program featured 150 teams that participated in 8U Coed (clinic-based), 10U Coed, 12U Boys, 12U Girls, 14U Boys, 14U Girls, 17U Boys and 17U Girls age divisions across the five boroughs. Teams played weekly intra-borough games and competed in intra-borough tournaments, ending the program with a Citywide Championship.