Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart's next drive: Establish free basketball camp

The upcoming season is number three for Isaiah Stewart in the NBA.

While this is a short period of time inside the National Basketball Association, Stewart is moving very close to reaching one of his goals as a pro.

There were very few basketball camps in the city of Rochester during his days as a teenager, Stewart said. The former star forward at McQuaid made a promise to himself that if he reached the NBA he would try to establish a camp.

This Saturday, the second edition of the Isaiah Stewart Basketball Camp is scheduled to welcome groups of middle school and high school aged girls and boys — 300 players in all — to No. 33 School next to Webster Park in Rochester.

The one day camp, which will have free sessions for 5th-8th graders and high schoolers, is sponsored by national- and regional-level businesses, and local businesses. Bishop Kearney girls basketball coach Kevan Sheppard, who is familiar with the world of college basketball recruiting, is one of the camp's organizers.

"Even though I'm very busy training, I still make sure that my hands are in the mix with the planning for the camp," Stewart said. "I want it to be a great experience for the kids, that everything goes as planned."

Reggie Smith, health and physical education coordinator at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester are among a list of instructors for the camp that includes men and women who coach at schools in the city of Rochester.

Current and former men's and women's basketball players, including Bishop Kearney graduate Marianna Freeman and Gates Chili graduate Cierra Dillard, also have committed their time as instructors. Matt Jones Hoops Strength hosted the first edition of Stewart's camp in 2021, and the business' founder is one of the instructors this year.

"It’s going to be about time for the kids to have fun and safely, and talk about the importance of buckling down from a school standpoint," Sheppard said. "He tells kids, that it's not all about basketball."

Stewart, who played a season at University of Washington, has been a forward with the Detroit Pistons since his rookie year during the 2020-21 NBA season. He is among seven men who played high school basketball in Section V or the greater Rochester region who are in or trying to play their way into the NBA.

"My main message is, if I can do it, they can do it. Any inspirational goals and dreams, they can do it," Stewart said. "Everyone knows that Rochester is not the best right now, in terms of violence and crime. I don’t want them to fall victim to that.

"If I can make it, they can make it too. Seeing someone around who was around the same stuff they are around, have someone show, I care about you, that I want to be for there for them, I feel like that is important."

JAMESJ@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart launches Rochester basketball camp