NBA's Terance Mann on Bringing Basketball Camp to the Massachusetts Hometown That 'Made Me Who I Am'

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Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Terance Mann wants to inspire the next generation of athletes and leaders from his hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts.

Located roughly 45 minutes outside of Boston, the 26-year-old athlete says Lowell has "a bunch of talent," but that "not many" aspiring professionals make it to the league.

"There haven't been many pro athletes to come out of Lowell before me," he tells PEOPLE.

Mann, 26, is just the second athlete from the city to make it to the NBA. Aside from him, Lowell-born basketball player Alex Oriakhi was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 2010, but has not played minutes in an NBA game.

"It's a blessing to have made it, which is why it's so important for me to give back," says Mann, who hosted his second annual Terance Mann Complete Player Basketball Camp in Lowell during the NBA offseason.

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In addition to his basketball camps, the NBA shooting guard and his manager Romello Crowell have been working with The Billy G Classic, a charity basketball tournament that offers a scholarship endowment for high school seniors that join the Greater Lowell Boys and Girls Club.

Mann says giving back to his hometown means "paving the way for the younger generation" of Lowell athletes with big dreams, athletically and beyond. "It's so important to me because it's the place that made me who I am," he says.

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Drafted in 2019, Mann says he has his parents to thank for his success in the NBA.

"Having a great support system and having both my mom and dad being there to help guide me and support me was a great benefit," he says.

His mother, Daynia La-Force, was a major inspiration for her son's dreams of playing basketball in the NBA. La-Force played basketball professionally and served as an assistant coach on the WNBA's Atlanta Dream last season. Meanwhile, his father played professional soccer.

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Mann says basketball "is the vehicle that got" him to where he is today, but his ideas go far beyond the court. "I plan to expand and make a difference in many more lanes for the next generation."

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And while he's completely focused on winning the championship with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this season, Mann will continue finding ways to make a positive impact in his community, with the help of his business partners in TMann Ventures.

TMann Ventures has "a few more partnerships on the way," he says, that will aim to "provide an educational aspect alongside" the basketball camps he hosts in Lowell.

"Not only do I want to see the next NBA player come from Lowell, but I also aspire to see the next Fortune 500 CEO come from Lowell, stemming from resources I'm able to provide to help them."

Mann and the LA Clippers will play their first game of the NBA season Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.