In 2025, NBA star Deandre Ayton pledged $100,000 to rebuild his mother’s Jamaican hometown after Hurricane Melissa while helping over 1,500 kids chase basketball dreams through a free camp

Deandre Ayton is helping young people in Jamaica find opportunities through basketball, education and community support. The NBA center has joined forces with the PMBL Youth Basketball Camp in Treasure Beach, adding support to a programme that has spent more than a decade giving children access to the sport. His Ayton Family Foundation is also helping communities recover from Hurricane Melissa, bringing food, supplies and rebuilding assistance to families in his mother’s Jamaican hometown.The partnership offers a closer look at Ayton’s work away from the court. While the Phoenix-born basketball star has built his career in the NBA, his family’s Caribbean roots have shaped his charitable efforts. From providing equipment and meals to supporting damaged homes and community facilities, his foundation is working to make a difference that lasts beyond a single basketball season.Deandre Ayton joins Jamaica’s PMBL Youth Basketball Camp to support young playersThe PMBL Youth Basketball Camp began in 2013 through a partnership between four friends from the United States and Jamaican hotelier Jason Henzell. Henzell welcomed the group to Jake’s Hotel in Treasure Beach and gave them access to Breds Treasure Beach Sports Park, helping them bring their idea to life.The camp started with 35 children on its first day. By the end of that first week, attendance had grown to 225. Over the years, the programme has expanded its reach, offering children access to basketball, athletic equipment and other essentials.Per Sporting News, the camp now provides more than 1,500 children each year with items such as shoes, shirts, backpacks, hygiene products and school supplies. Individual donations and the volunteers’ personal networks have helped sustain the initiative.Ayton’s partnership with the camp adds another source of support. His Ayton Family Foundation works on youth development, food access and community programmes, with a focus on the Bahamas, Jamaica and Los Angeles. The foundation’s involvement also connects the camp to Ayton’s family ties in St. Elizabeth Parish, where his mother grew up.The partnership has a practical purpose. Children need more than a basketball court to take part in a sport. They also need equipment, food, transportation and a welcoming environment. The PMBL camp works to remove those barriers by keeping participation free and providing meals to campers.Children as young as four and as old as 18 can attend. The organisers focus on willingness to participate rather than skill level, giving beginners a chance to learn alongside more experienced players.The daily programme also goes beyond drills and matches. Coaches organise games and other activities for younger children, while the camp provides breakfast and lunch. Local restaurant Jack Sprat prepares meals, which often include jerk chicken with rice and peas.That mix of sport, food and community support gives the programme a broader purpose. It allows children to enjoy basketball without asking their families to cover the cost of a camp, equipment or daily meals. Ayton Family Foundation steps up after Hurricane MelissaAyton’s work in Jamaica took on greater urgency after Hurricane Melissa struck the island in October 2025. The storm caused severe damage in parts of St. Elizabeth Parish, the same region where his mother has family roots.In Dec. 2025, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association recognised Ayton with the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for November. The award highlighted his hurricane relief work in Jamaica and his efforts to improve food access and cultural inclusion among young people in LA. The NBA and NBPA Foundation also pledged $20,000 to the Ayton Family Foundation in recognition of his work.The foundation had already supported the reopening of the Cedar Spring Community Center in St. Elizabeth Parish in July 2025. The renovated facility now serves as a community space for education, health activities, recreation, youth programmes and family engagement.During the reopening, Ayton and the foundation hosted a community day for more than 100 children and families. The event offered free medical and dental screenings, school supplies, sneakers and a community meal.Following Hurricane Melissa, the foundation committed $100,000 towards rebuilding efforts and turned the Cedar Spring center into an emergency shelter and distribution hub. It also coordinated shipments of food and essential goods for affected residents.The rebuilding effort includes funding new zinc roofs for 30 families, along with financial support for longer-term recovery work planned for 2026. These steps address immediate needs while helping residents begin the difficult process of repairing their homes.The foundation’s involvement also reached the PMBL camp. The Ayton Family Foundation helped arrange transportation for children from areas hit hard by Hurricane Melissa, including Parrottee, Galleon and Black River.That support gives children from affected communities a chance to take part in camp activities despite the disruption caused by the storm. It also brings the foundation’s relief work and youth development efforts together in one programme.The camp itself has faced severe weather challenges before. After Hurricane Beryl hit the area in July 2024, volunteers cleared debris from the sports grounds and repaired damaged basketball facilities so the children could still attend a shortened camp. The experience showed how the programme could offer a sense of routine even when the community faced a difficult recovery. Why the Jamaica basketball project means more than a week of campThe PMBL partnership reflects a larger aim behind Ayton’s charitable work: making sport accessible while supporting the everyday needs of families.Basketball remains central to the camp, but the organisers also focus on access to food, school supplies and safe spaces. Those services can make a real difference for children whose families face financial pressure or are still recovering from a natural disaster.The camp also gives children a chance to meet coaches and volunteers who encourage them to learn, work with others and keep trying. It does not promise that every participant will become a professional player. Instead, it creates an environment where young people can enjoy the sport and develop their skills without worrying about the cost of joining.Ayton’s foundation follows a similar approach in its other programmes. In Los Angeles, it launched the Ayton Alley Oop Program, which provides tickets to Lakers games and other sporting events for young people from underrepresented communities. It has also worked with groups including the Boys & Girls Club, the Salvation Army and SüprMarkt LA on food access and cultural inclusion.In Dec. 2025, the NBA reported that Ayton had committed $25,000 to SüprMarkt LA’s SNAP BACK initiative, which provides fresh produce and healthy meals to families in need. The contribution reflects the foundation’s interest in addressing basic needs alongside opportunities for young people.Ayton explained that philosophy in a statement included in the NBA’s Dec. 17, 2025 announcement of his Community Assist Award. “My family taught me that feeding people is love,” he said, describing the values behind his foundation.Ayton’s NBA career puts him in a position to draw attention and resources to these efforts. His work with the PMBL camp shows how that support can reach children directly, while the foundation’s rebuilding commitments address needs that remain long after the storm passes.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.