Alright, so I finally got around to the Luke Kennard basketball camp this year, 2024. Heard about it a while back and thought, why not? I still like to shoot hoops, even though I’m not exactly NBA material, you know?
Getting Started
First thing was signing up. Found the info online – pretty straightforward process, filled out a form, paid the fee. Nothing too crazy. Then it was the waiting game. I actually dug out my old basketball shoes from the closet. Had to make sure they didn’t fall apart on me. Maybe did a few extra shots in the driveway leading up to it, just to pretend I was getting ready.
Showing Up
The first day, I drove over to the gym where they were holding it. Place was buzzing already. Lots of kids, parents, other folks like me just looking to have some fun and maybe learn a thing or two. You could feel the energy, which was cool. Finding parking wasn’t too bad, thankfully. Checked in, got a t-shirt – standard camp stuff.
Seeing Luke Kennard there was pretty neat. He’s taller in person, obviously. Seemed like a good dude, interacting with people, taking pictures. Made the whole thing feel more legit.
Hitting the Court
They split us up into groups, mostly by age or maybe skill, hard to tell exactly. Then the drills started.
- Dribbling: Man, my handles felt rusty. We did basic stuff, crossovers, behind-the-back. The coaches were helpful, giving little tips.
- Shooting: This is Kennard’s thing, right? So yeah, lots of shooting drills. Form shooting, shooting off the dribble, catch-and-shoot. I tried to soak up whatever I could. Definitely focused on getting my elbow tucked.
- Defense: Some defensive slides, closeout drills. Gotta say, this part always gasses me out the quickest.
- Games: Later on, we got into some scrimmages. Just short games, 3-on-3 or 5-on-5. Good fun, little bit competitive but mostly just playing ball.
What Stood Out
Honestly, just the vibe was great. Everyone was there for the love of the game. The coaches weren’t super intense, more encouraging. They kept things moving, so you weren’t just standing around. It felt organized. I remember one drill where we were working on passing, and one of the coaches gave me a simple pointer about stepping into the pass that actually made a difference. Small things like that.
It wasn’t just drills either. They talked a bit about teamwork, working hard. Luke shared some stories too, which was cool to hear firsthand.
Wrapping It Up
By the end of the camp, I was beat. Sore in places I forgot I had muscles. But it was that good kind of tired. Felt like I actually did something, moved around, didn’t just sit on the couch. Picked up a couple of pointers, mostly reminders of fundamentals I’d gotten lazy about.
Overall? Yeah, good experience. Glad I went. It’s fun to just play basketball sometimes, be around people who enjoy it too. Didn’t magically turn me into a sharpshooter overnight, but it was a solid few days of hoops. Definitely worth the time if you’re thinking about it next year.
