JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – One of the newest members of the Big Orange’s men’s basketball program returned to his roots on Saturday morning to host his inaugural basketball camp.
Four-star recruit and incoming freshman guard, B.J. Edwards spent time with a number of Tri-Cities kids from third to eighth grade at Providence academy. The campers were instructed by Edwards and other counselors – working on skills drills and finishing with some scrimmages.
Edwards scored 2,240 points in his high school career at Knoxville Catholic – earning TSSAA Division II-AA Mr. Basketball honors in 2021, after helping lead his team to a state championship victory in 2020.
The 6-foot-3-inch guard played his entire high school career in Knoxville, but was born in Johnson City and still has family that lives in the area.
“It feels really good,” he said about returning to the Tri-Cities. “It was my grandma’s birthday the other day, so I had to come down here to see her and it was perfect timing to set up a camp.”
But, Saturday morning was all about creating the best environment for the campers.
“The main focus was just to come back and have fun – make the kids have fun – and teach them things that they didn’t [learn],” Edwards said. “I wasn’t able to have an opportunity like this when I was younger – so, definitely just coming back to give back to the youth here in the Tri-Cities.”
Edwards is currently on a break period, but will return soon to UT’s campus to begin fall practices.
“You know, I just got [to campus] in May,” he said, “but we’ve got a great bond and we’re going to win a lot of games and just have a lot of fun – we’ll be ready this year.”
University of Tennessee students will begin fall semester classes on August 24, at which point Edwards explained the Vols will get right back into practicing.
