Thunder Draftee Terrance Ferguson Hosts Tournament For Green Country's Youth

Thunder draftee Terrance Ferguson was always the tallest kid on the court at Emerson Elementary. Now, he's trying to give back to other hopefuls in the area through the Terrance Ferguson 2K Basketball Tournament for youth basketball teams.

"It's really important to us to come back home, where we got our start out, to give back from where we began at,” he said. "Giving back means everything to me, especially with little kids. I just want to give back to the next generation. I came up playing local tournaments like this."

Ferguson started out playing organized basketball at the North Harvard Boys and Girls Club.

Once Terrance was drafted by the Thunder organization he and his mother made it a priority to start the Terrance Ferguson 2K Basketball Tournament here in Green Country. One hundred teams played in the tourney, and he hopes to make it an annual event.

"I want other kids in our community, in our community, to know that you can go and do anything as long as you put the hard work in, stay focused and stay dedicated,” he said. "I play basketball just so I can touch lives, just touch lives all around the world. And to see these kids that just want to take pictures, laugh and joke with me, the whole community of Tulsa is just behind me."

As far as all the hoopla over Paul George coming to OKC, Ferguson said, “Man, it's crazy. I honestly did not see that coming. But, I'm learning from two legendary players in Paul George and Russell Westbrook next year, so it's an amazing opportunity for me."

But he won’t go into that “amazing opportunity” without his number one fan.

"I'm still in that surreal state when I wake up in the morning,’ said his mom. “I'm like, ‘My son's in the NBA.'"

And if you ask what he was like when he was a kid, she’ll tell you, “He was a goofy tall kid, always loved to play basketball. Even back then he was always practicing on the basketball court during recess."