Wall of dreams

The Garden of Dreams MSG4Me program provides New York City students with invaluable exposure to industry professionals working across all areas of sports and entertainment. Each semester, a cohort of students from a Garden of Dreams community partner meet on a weekly basis with MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment employees to learn about their personal and professional journeys, absorb their wisdom through Q&A sessions, and make connections that lead to long-term relationships. These students also benefit from special hands-on experiences throughout the semester, such as the visit to the MSG Training Center described below.

On Wednesday, June 8th, ten Garden of Dreams young people participating in our MSG4Me mentorship program had a day to remember when they took a special visit to the New York Knicks training center.

This particular mentorship experience focused on introducing young people to the many career paths involved with working for a professional basketball team, beyond just the athletes and personnel on the court.

Upon arrival, students were greeted by building staff and the Manager of Basketball Administration, Makini Campbell. Makini led a private tour of the facility, making stops along the way for our young people to meet and learn from mentors working across various areas in building and team operations.

The young people interacted with members of security, basketball operations, player health, technology, and more. A panel of employees working in the front office, from player development to coaching analytics and beyond, addressed the students and answered their questions while seated in the very gym where the New York Knicks and Westchester Knicks hold practices.

The grandest surprise came when students took a look inside the Westchester Knicks locker room and found a personalized jersey for each young person hanging inside the space. Allan Houston, Knicks alumnus and current SVP of Player Leadership, was on hand for the exciting jersey reveal and spoke with the students about his own journey as a Knick on and off the court.

Finally, the students received a to-go lunch prepared by the team’s chef as they said their goodbyes while wearing their brand-new custom jerseys. It was an unforgettable experience for all, and Garden of Dreams is thankful for our incredible partnership with the New York Knicks, especially all those who were instrumental in bringing this day to life.