Jamal Murray may be an NBA star, but during a recent North versus Aurora Hills Unified basketball game, he made sure it was the students who shined.
The Nuggets’ famed point guard served as a surprise guest coach who shared a few “nuggets” of wisdom to help the players fine-tune their skills and deepen their love for the game.
As Murray gears up for the NBA playoffs, it’s clear that he understands the importance of teamwork and unity – what Unified sports is all about. Judging from the smile he had on his face, watching the students uphold inclusivity as the end goal truly warmed his heart.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Murray. “I want to see what’s best for the kids and inspire them. That’s my main thing. Hopefully, they see me do that and maybe one day when they get older, they’ll recognize the importance of it and do it as well.”
But inspiring our youth wasn’t the only thing Murray set out to do. He also donated $5,000 as a match to our amazing partner, UCHealth. UCHealth gifted Aurora Public Schools’ Unified teams with $5,000 for equipment! We send both donors a very heartfelt thank you for helping our students power their potential.
All APS 6-12th grade students with and without disabilities have the opportunity to compete on Unified basketball, track and field, soccer and swimming teams at their schools. High school students can also compete in bowling. This dedication to inclusivity earned APS the prestigious designation of a Unified Distinguished District by Special Olympics Colorado.
We look forward to more uplifting events that focus on breaking barriers that have traditionally separated students of different abilities. We also wish the Nuggets success as they ramp up for a repeat run as NBA Champs!
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