John Starks, winning Knick, entertains kids at Hillel

His career heyday was more than a few years before most of the children he spoke to were born, but John Starks, former New York Knickerbocker, possesses the cache that kept Hillel Day Camp kids from second grade to eighth entertained in the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway’s gymnasium on Aug. 2.

Starks, who played guard for the Knicks during one of the more successful periods for the NBA team, explained to the youngsters who are participating in the basketball camp that it was hard work that got him to play professionally.

“Practice makes it look easy,” he said in explaining how he can shoot from different distances from the basket — with one hand — and consistently make all the shots. Camper Josh Bellehsen “schooled” Starks by niftily putting the ball between the star’s legs.

A player, who at one time bagged groceries in a Safeway and went undrafted in 1988, told the kids, “You have to go through the drills and work, if you don’t you’ll never get any better.”

The campers began believing Starks as he made those shots from varying distances. He also showed them how he shoots with his right hand, but uses his left as a guide for greater accuracy. “Shooting is about balance,” said Starks, who had a few kids practice what he had just taught them.

“For the kids it’s exciting to see a star like John and it’s a great reward for their work over the last four weeks,” said Camp Director Ari Solomon.

Fifth-grade campers Joseph Masri and Jonas Kahne both thought Starks’ visit was great. “Getting to see John Starks and learning to shoot better,” Masri said is what he appreciated. “It was really cool that I saw John Starks in person,” said Kahne, adding that he will follow Starks’ advice on shooting. “And one day I will end up making a three-pointer with one hand.”

This story first appeared in the Nassau Herald