Fil-Am hooper to hold basketball camp before NBTC stint

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-American basketball player Braylon “BJ” Williams will be paying it forward to the local hoops community right before he makes waves in the upcoming National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) Manila Live tournament next week.

Williams, the son of former NFL wide receiver Roydell Williams and Filipina cell biologist Annabelle Manalo-Morgan, will be serving as assistant camp director to Fil-Nation Select head coach Cris Gopez during a half-day camp at the Gatorades Hoop Center on Saturday, March 16.

The camp is open to players aged 11 to 14 and is the first activity of Williams’ own organization dubbed “BJs38 Foundation”. It will be in partnership with athletes' firm Fil-Nation Select, which has produced multiple national athletes from various sports like basketball, football and volleyball.

“The community can expect high level basketball instructions as well as school supplies, shoes, t-shirts, and an overall inspirational experience,” said Williams’ mother Annabelle.

Williams himself is a AAU World Champion and will be competing with the Fil-Nation Select USA U14 team in Manila Live where he hopes to pass his knowledge down to the next generation along with Gopez, who will coach the Fil-Nation Select USA seniors team in the NBTC National Finals.

The 13-year-old’s efforts draw inspiration from his younger brother Macario, who had to have 38% of his brain removed when he was five weeks old — thus the name of the cager’s foundation.

“BJ believes that whether it’s a pair of shoes, or donation towards medical treatment, others deserve to experience the same joy that [our] family has in order to create more stories like Macario’s,” his mother continued.

The basketball clinic, which will feature 100 kids, will be the first of Williams’ efforts in Manila, particularly.

Both Williams and Gopez then plunge into action during NBTC’s hostilities beginning Monday, March 18.