BALDWIN HILLS CRENSHAW CELEBRATES THE DREW LEAGUE
DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
LOS ANGELES, Calif.— On February 17, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw will host an event honoring and celebrating The Drew League, a pro-am basketball league founded to provide young people in South Central Los Angeles a place to learn life lessons through basketball. The event will feature a panel discussion with Drew League founder Dino Smiley, NBA referee Derek Richardson and former NBA player and Inglewood native Craig Smith.
The Drew League began with just six teams and now matches up to 28 “invite only” teams in games at King Drew High School. As a pro-am league, The Drew League brings together professional athletes, amateurs, streetball legends and collegiate athletes for competitive basketball games and tournaments. Current NBA stars James Harden, Demar Derozan, Nick Young, recently retired players Baron Davis and Paul Pierce, and former LA Lakers player and Head Coach Byron Scott are all Drew League veterans.
The Drew League also runs The Drew League Foundation that works alongside youth in South Central Los Angeles to provide scholarships, meals, and mentoring opportunities. The foundation has donated over $100,000 since its establishment in 2009.
The panel will focus on the impact that The Drew League has had on its athletes and the larger community. The panel will also include a wider discussion about why organizations like The Drew League are an important part of communities in South L.A.
This event is free and open to the community.