Dream chasers: Four KC-area hoop standouts among 18 selected for NBA leadership program

Jada Williams wants to end exploitation in youth sports and address gender and racial equality.

S’Mya Nichols wants girls and young women to understand that they can follow their dreams and not be shoehorned into a predetermined future.

Aidan Wing may not fully grasp first-hand the racial issues that his Black friends and teammates deal with on a daily basis, but he wants to learn more and help however he can.

The three Kansas City-area high school basketball players are just 16 years old. But thanks to the Jr. NBA program, this trio of sophomores has a platform to project their voices and help effect positive change.

The local trio, along with Blue Valley Northwest’s Grant Stubblefield, are four of 18 high school athletes from across the nation selected this week to form the first-ever Jr. NBA Court of Leaders.

The new program aims to bring together high schoolers who’ve displayed outstanding leadership qualities and amplify their voices across the youth basketball landscape.

“We’re all passionate and we’re not afraid to get backlash — we’re not afraid for people to hate on us,” said Blue Springs’ Williams. “We just know what we want and we’re shooting for the right things. We’re battling, and we’re all battling together.”

Their journey began in Orlando at the 2018 and 2019 Jr. NBA Global Championships.

They were invited to play in a tournament-style event featuring some of America’s top youth players competing against talented counterparts from elsewhere around the world.

“That was magical. It was a lot more than just a tournament,” Williams said.

The tournament featured teams from countries such as Mexico, Australia and South America. It was an eye-opener as to how similar we are as humans, the local contingent said, even when we hail from vastly different backgrounds.

“It was really cool to realize that they’re really similar to us even though they might not speak the same language or have the same habits that we do, the stuff that they’re into and their hobbies,” said Wing, who attends Bishop Miege. “They’re really not much different from us, other than their culture.”

Shawnee Mission West’s Nichols met one of her best friends at the 2018 event — Sandrine, a girl from Cameroon.

The overall experience shaped the way these local high schoolers think and led to their selection to the first Court of Leaders.

“Being able to interact with these people that are like-minded, it’s super amazing having people in my corner and just being able to talk about what we want to do to change the world,” Williams said. “We all have the same dreams.”

The Court of Leaders is co-chaired by two professional hoops players: Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr.

“It’s an awesome thing to see the Jr. NBA providing a platform to reward and empower young athletes who have displayed exceptional passion, leadership and work ethic,” Jackson said.

“The basketball space needs more young voices advocating for their peers and the future of the sport, and I look forward to supporting the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders as they create positive change on the court and in their communities.”

Philadelphia 76ers guard Danny Green and Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade talked to the group in Orlando in 2019 about the need for toughness when pursuing a dream. Representatives from global brands such as Gatorade and Beats Electronics have also spoken with the group via Zoom.

“It’s more than just playing the game,” Nichols said. “It can take you farther than you would know. You don’t have to play the game just to be involved in sports and opinions.”

The group has been meeting via Zoom every month since December. Led by Jackson Jr. and Collier, they discuss not only how the Court of Leaders can effect positive change, but how young athletes can pursue their own goals.

One specific conversation between Jackson and Wing reverberates with the 16-year-old: They discussed chasing the dream of professional basketball and balancing academics along the way.

“He was really real with me,” Wing said. “He was so raw and so real. There were things that I really could relate to.”

The Court of Legends will continue to meet via Zoom until it is finally safe to meet in person. Williams is excited for that moment, but she’s also keen to remember why they were selected as participants in the first place.

“Inspiring — that’s our word: inspire,” Williams said. “We want to inspire people, we want to educate people, we want to be educated ourselves.”