A basketball camp being conducted by NBA player DeMarcus Cousins will kick off with a charity VIP Event Aug. 1 to raise money for Old Friends, the Georgetown, Ky. retirement facility for Thoroughbreds.
The meet and greet with Cousins, who was a first-team All-American at the University of Kentucky, and other dignitaries will take place at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Lexington from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. EDT. Tickets are $50 and include food and a cash bar. Space is limited to 250 people.
Cousins was a McDonald’s All-American as a high school senior in 2009. He played one year at UK, after which he was named a First Team All American for 2010 by the Associated Press. He was subsequently selected in the first round by the Sacramento Kings--the fifth pick overall--during the 2010 NBA draft. The 6’11” power forward went on to average 14.1 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds for the Kings during his rookie season, which earned him a place on the 2011 NBA All Rookie First Team. Cousins will conduct his inaugural summer youth basketball camp in Lexington on Aug. 1-3.
“I can’t stress how much I love coming back to Kentucky and how much I appreciate what Old Friends does for retired horses,” Cousins said in a statement. “Old Friends was nice enough to have me attend the Ferdinand Ball at the Kentucky Derby this year and to give me a tour of their wonderful facility. I’m impressed with the care of the horses and the people of Old Friends. I truly enjoy everybody affiliated with that organization and am humbled to think I could do something to help them.”
