Tiger Woods’ AT&T National isn’t the only intersection of charity and high-profile athletes in the DMV this weekend.
United States men’s national team defender — and two-time World Cup veteran — Oguchi Onyewu is celebrating the opening of his new initiative, G.O. Global, tomorrow at the Maryland SoccerPlex, while former Georgetown star Chris Wright will host his 1st Annual Basketball Jamboree to benefit multiple sclerosis research at St. John’s High School. Both events will have tons of famous athletes on hand for fans to meet. (See below)
Wright, a three-year starter for the Hoyas at point guard, was diagnosed with MS while playing for Turkish basketball team Olin Edirne in May 2012. The inflammatory disease, which still has no cure, often affects one’s muscles; in Wright’s case, he was at first left unable to walk.
And then, less than a year later, he had earned a spot in the NBA.
Wright’s stint with the Dallas Mavericks didn’t last long — he averaged just over a minute per game in three appearances — but it did leave an impact. When he stepped onto the floor in March, the Bowie, Md. product became the first player diagnosed with MS in NBA history.
“MS is something that’s going to be with me after basketball. While I’m playing professionally it won’t be something that’s crippling,” Wright told WUSA yesterday. “There’s many avenues for me to touch. There’s so many people I can reach out to and help. That’s what it’s all about.”
Count Mavericks head coach Jeff Carlisle among those whom Wright’s impressed.
“You do what he’s doing — playing a professional sport with MS — that’s going to be something that a lot of people pay attention to. It shows his motivation, his determination, but it also shows the progress that’s been made in that area,” Carlisle said to ESPN in March. “It’s going to give people hope. That’s a great thing.”
Tomorrow’s lineup at St. John’s, Wright’s alma mater in Northwest D.C., will kick off at 11 a.m. with a star-studded pro basketball exhibition — Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, J.R. Smith and others lead the way on a list that consists of local basketball products as well as a handful of Wright’s former Georgetown teammates.
That main event will be followed up by a high school showcase game between St. John’s and Eleanor Roosevelt, with an expert presentation on MS and MS awareness to follow. Also featuring a strength and conditioning workout for high school athletes, the jamboree is slated to close at 6 p.m. If you’re interested, tickets are still available, and you can buy them online here.
Onyewu’s event in Germantown, meanwhile, will celebrate the launch of his program, which according to the official site is targeted at promoting healthy and active lifestyles in disadvantaged youth.
Highlighted by a celebrity-coached youth soccer match, the G.O. Global Kick-Off will also feature a halftime scrimmage between the impressive list of players set to attend. Among them will be current U.S. national team players like Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu; former ones like Charlie Davies and Eddie Pope; and other top pros like Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman.
Tickets for Onyewu’s fundraiser, which will take place from 12-4 p.m. tomorrow, can be purchased at the SoccerPlex beginning at 11:30 a.m.
If you want to see some of your favorite stars — and help a good cause in the process — you can’t go wrong with either event. These kinds of opportunities don’t happen just every weekend here in D.C., so be sure to check one of them out.
